Liberia's major markets are packed with people this Christmas season, but traders say the bustle masks a harsher truth: money is scarce, buyers are few, and the festive boom that once defined December commerce has largely evaporated.
A market survey conducted by The Liberian Investigator across key commercial hubs in Monrovia found stalls full and foot traffic heavy. Yet traders insist the crowds are misleading, dominated by fellow sellers, price-checkers, and window-shoppers rather than customers with cash in hand.
For decades, the week before Christmas represented the most profitable stretch of the year for Liberian traders, fueled by seasonal bonuses, diaspora remittances, and brisk cash circulation. Many vendors say that pattern held through much of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration and into the early years of former President George Weah's tenure. This year, they say, is markedly different.
Crowds Without Cash
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"Christmas business is not about seeing people," one trader remarked. "It's about how fast goods move." That movement, vendors say, has slowed to a crawl.
Stalls remain fully stocked, daily sales targets go unmet, and profits have sharply declined. Several traders echoed the same refrain: sellers now outnumber buyers.
Unemployment Driving Street Vending
Traders attribute the imbalance largely to rising unemployment and shrinking household incomes, which have pushed more Liberians into informal trading as a survival strategy while reducing the number of consumers able to spend.
Sonnie Quayan, a used-clothing seller in Red Light, said the contrast with previous years is stark.
"During Ellen's time, we could open three times a week and clear our goods," she said. "After Ellen, when Weah took over, business started getting tough. Up to now, we are still struggling."
She also blamed exchange-rate instability, arguing that sudden fluctuations erode traders' capital and weaken customer confidence. "Sometimes the rate changes in ways we don't understand, and the business suffers," she said.
Loans Taken, Sales Fall Short
In anticipation of Christmas demand, many traders borrowed money from banks and susu savings groups to stock their stalls. With sales far below projections, fears of loan default are mounting.
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"This season, I can sell for one whole week and only make five thousand Liberian dollars," Quayan said. "It's hand to mouth."
Dirus Dahn, who sells men's jeans from a wheelbarrow, described this December as the worst in his four years of trading. "In past years, people bought," he said. "This year, things are really hard."
A few traders remain cautiously hopeful. Esther M. Quayan, a used-clothing vendor with a decade of experience, said Liberians are known for last-minute shopping. "For now, we can't say they won't buy," she said. "Liberians like last-minute timing."
Buyers Cite High Prices, Cash Shortages
Buyers, however, tell a different story. Several complained that prices remain high despite reports of a declining exchange rate.
"If goods are priced in U.S. dollars, it will still be expensive in Liberian dollars," said Vivian Kolleh, who said exchange-rate improvements rarely translate into lower market prices.
Others cited the scarcity of Liberian dollar notes and persistent difficulties cashing out mobile money as additional barriers to spending.
As Christmas Day approaches, traders across Liberia's commercial centers are urging the government to prioritize job creation, stabilize the economy, and restore consumer confidence. Without meaningful intervention, they warn, the once-reliable Christmas trading season may continue to lose its economic significance for thousands of small-scale marketers struggling to survive.
