Monrovia, Liberia – May 28, 2026 – Acting Vice Chair of the Governance Commission, Mrs. Juah, on Wednesday joined senior government officials, private sector leaders, and international development partners in advancing Liberia’s proposed Local Content Policy aimed at empowering Liberian businesses and creating sustainable jobs.
Speaking during the One-Day Validation Workshop on the Draft Local Content Policy held at the Mamba Point Hotel in Monrovia, officials stressed the urgent need for a unified national framework that ensures Liberia’s natural resources and foreign investments directly benefit Liberian citizens and businesses.
The workshop brought together representatives from the Governance Commission, National Investment Commission (NIC), National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Liberia Chamber of Commerce, civil society organizations, and the World Bank-supported Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P).
She said despite the immense impacts of the development agreement on the economy, there have been limited linkages to the domestic private sector. Most Micro, and Small Medium Enterprises in Liberia (MSMEs) lack the technical and managerial capabilities and the financial resources to tap into the vast opportunities provided by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) demand for goods and services.
“In addition, local content in Liberia is currently governed by afragmented array of sector-specific laws and concession agreements, creating inconsistencies, enforcement challenges, and limited impacts. This has hindered the growth of LiberianMicro, and Small Medium Enterprises in Liberia (MSMEs)despite significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Commissioner Juah said.
However, a unified and effectively enforced Local Content Policy (LCP), leading to robust law, is projected to redirect hundreds of millions of dollars in procurement to local businesses and create tens of thousands of skilled jobs over the next decade; fundamentally transforming Liberia’s economic landscape by replacing a patchwork of rules with a powerful, national strategy for inclusive growth. She maintained that the proposed Local Content Policy is a critical necessity. It establishes clear, enforceable performance requirements to ensure that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) delivers more than just surface-level revenue.
Accordingly, the policy amongst other things hopes to achieve the following This she said will help To integrate improved technology and advanced managerial skills directly into our domestic markets and distribution network“ To serve as the mandatory benchmark for all future investment negotiations which shall be applicable to large firms and their entire value chain, including affiliates, contractors, and subcontractors To streamline measures so that investors are not unduly burdened with the requirements for local content. And to promote the growth and development of the local private sector and its human resource capacity by utilizing opportunities generated by large-scale investments in Liberia and to improve the local economy by leveraging linkages to foreign direct investments, beyond the revenues generated.” She added.
Delivering the keynote remarks, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, Hon. Alaric K. Tokpa, described the proposed policy as a major step toward transforming Liberia’s economy through stronger participation of Liberian-owned enterprises in major investment and concession activities.
Tokpa noted that despite significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Liberia over the years, local businesses—particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)—have struggled to benefit due to limited access to financing, inadequate technical expertise, and weak managerial capacity.
According to him, Liberia’s local content system remains fragmented under various sector-specific laws and concession agreements, creating enforcement gaps and limiting the impact on the domestic private sector.
“Most Liberian businesses have not been able to fully tap into the vast opportunities created by foreign direct investments,” Tokpa said. “This policy seeks to change that reality by creating a comprehensive and enforceable framework that prioritizes Liberian participation.”
He explained that the draft Local Content Policy seeks to redirect substantial procurement opportunities toward local businesses while creating thousands of skilled jobs across multiple sectors of the economy.
The Governance Commission Chairman further disclosed that the policy aims to facilitate technology transfer, strengthen local managerial skills, and encourage knowledge-sharing between foreign investors and Liberian enterprises.
Under the proposed framework, future investment agreements would include mandatory local participation requirements applicable not only to large corporations but also to their affiliates, contractors, and subcontractors.
Officials at the forum emphasized that the policy is aligned with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), which prioritizes inclusive economic growth and greater empowerment of Liberians.
The workshop also featured the presentation of a Supplier Development Portal intended to connect Liberian businesses to procurement and supply opportunities generated by major concession and investment projects nationwide.
Tokpa praised Liberia’s development partners and collaborating institutions for supporting the process, noting that the policy would help build a stronger and more competitive Liberian private sector.
“Local content is not just about compliance; it is about creating jobs, building capacity, fostering innovation, and ensuring that Liberians benefit directly from the country’s resources,” he emphasized.
Participants at the validation workshop were encouraged to provide recommendations and technical input to ensure that the final policy remains practical, transparent, measurable, and beneficial to both investors and Liberian citizens.
The draft Local Content Policy is expected to become a key instrument in Liberia’s drive to increase domestic economic participation and ensure that foreign investments generate long-term national development.
By: Melvin Jackson
