Monrovia — A powerful movement of innovation, resilience, and local pride will take center stage from December 8-10, 2025, as hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses converge at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town for the National MSMEs Conference & Trade Fair 2025.
Far beyond a typical policy gathering, the conference is bringing together the heartbeat of Liberia's local economy -- women entrepreneurs, youth innovators, family-owned enterprises, farmers, artisans, and emerging tech startups -- all united by one ambition: to build Liberia through products proudly Made-in-Liberia.
"In this hall, you'll meet every mother who stitches, every youth coding after school, and every artisan who believes this country can be built with local hands and local heart," says Amina Kamara, a 32-year-old entrepreneur and single mother who has grown her family soap business from a shared kitchen into a budding workshop in Paynesville.
Amina is one of more than 600 MSMEs expected to participate in the three-day event, which will feature exhibitions, hands-on capacity building, business matchmaking, and high-level policy engagements.
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President's Office to Deliver Keynote Address
A key highlight of the conference will be the Keynote Address from the Office of the President of Liberia, signaling national commitment to unlocking markets, expanding access to finance, and empowering micro and small businesses as engines of inclusive growth.
For many participants, the keynote is more than ceremonial -- it is a recognition that their creativity and daily struggles are central to Liberia's economic transformation.
Stories of Resilience Behind the Makeshift Market Tables
Among this year's exhibitors is the Gaye family, whose journey from a modest roadside palm-oil snack stall to a small-scale processing unit now employing five neighbors exemplifies the conference's theme: turning ideas into impact and family survival into thriving enterprise.
Another standout is Sandra Perkins-Lighe, owner of a growing moringa tea production line. Her expansion from a home garage to regional markets was made possible through microfinance access and training -- tools the conference aims to broaden for thousands more.
Inclusive Growth for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities
Organizers say the conference is intentionally designed with inclusivity at its core. Youth-led digital enterprises will showcase new tools linking rural producers to urban buyers, while entrepreneurs with disabilities will present accessibility-centered business models, emphasizing that economic growth must leave no one behind.
Small business development expert Luther D. Jeke underscores the deeper meaning of the event: "This isn't just a policy event; it's a family event. When you empower a woman with access to markets and finance, you empower an entire household to dream bigger."
Workshops to Equip Businesses for Bigger Markets
Participants will engage in a series of practical workshops, including business and AI in the 21st Century, marketing, Branding & Digital Sales Strategies, Export Readiness and Quality Standards and Green Production and Sustainable Packaging
Organizers say these sessions will offer real-world tools for businesses hoping to penetrate regional and international markets.
Building Trust in Made-in-Liberia Products
A major emphasis of the 2025 conference is strengthening the credibility of Liberian-made goods through improved standards, packaging quality, branding, and environmentally responsible production.
Deputy Minister for Small Business Administration, Hon. Benedict A. Dolo, who chairs the Steering Committee, said: "Our goal is simple -- make it easier for Liberian makers to compete with quality and pride. We're building an ecosystem for every small business to grow into a stable, sustainable enterprise."
Alignment With National Development Goals
The conference supports Liberia's National Development Plan (2025-2029) by promoting value addition, competitiveness, and inclusive prosperity, the ARREST Agenda, especially priorities on entrepreneurship, job creation, and social inclusion and the Made-in-Liberia Economy, with a focus on domestic value chains, digital visibility, and green production.
What Everyday Liberians Stand to Gain
For countless families, the conference means more than policy shifts -- it represents hope for better income stability, increased market access, greater trust in locally produced goods and community-level empowerment and job opportunities
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Awards, Engagements, and Opportunities
Twenty outstanding small businesses will receive cash grants in recognition of innovation, resilience, and community impact.
Other key activities include exhibitions by hundreds of Liberian MSMEs, public lectures by regulatory agencies, business-to-business matchmaking and guidance on taxation, standards compliance, and intellectual property
How to Participate
The National MSMEs Conference & Trade Fair is open to entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, development partners, and members of the public.
Dates: December 8-10, 2025
Venue: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, Monrovia
For updates, visit the official Facebook page: Liberia MSMEs Conference & Trade Fair 2025.
Tagline: "Made-in-Liberia: Empowering Local Quality, Global Vision, and a Sustainable Future."
