MONROVIA — Liberia is positioning its fisheries sector as the next frontier for private sector investment as the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) prepares to host the National Fisheries Investment Conference 2026, locally known as "Kpongama," a two-day gathering aimed at attracting capital, showcasing investment-ready opportunities, and laying the foundation for long-term growth in a sector that is largely untapped.
NaFAA Director General J. Cyrus Sagbe disclosed the plans on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, during an appearance on The OK Conversation on OK FM in Monrovia, describing the conference as a strategic pivot away from NaFAA's heavy reliance on licenses and permits toward private-sector-driven expansion.
"The conference is intended to explore how, as a state-owned enterprise, we can attract private-sector investment into what we do," Saygbe said. "Over the years, NaFAA has largely survived on licenses from industrial and artisanal vessels, and we believe that is not enough to ensure the sustainability we envision. One of the ways to allow the sector to drive itself is by tapping into private capital."
The conference, branded Kpongama, a Kpelleh Vernacular meaning "group gathering", will be held from March 30 to 31, 2026, at the Farmington Hotel. Saygbe said earlier plans to use the Ministerial Complex were abandoned due to traffic congestion caused by ongoing roadworks along the Congo Town corridor.
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"We looked at the overpass construction and felt it would be cumbersome for guests, especially those traveling from outside the country," he said. "We wanted a location that would be more accessible and convenient."
According to Saygbe, the conference will serve as a global showcase for Liberia's fisheries potential, anchored on the country's extensive coastline and marine resources. Liberia has approximately 579 kilometers of coastline and more than 300 nautical miles of territorial waters, which he said host some of the most valuable fish species in the region.
"We have about 94,000 tons of surface-water fish and roughly 254,500 tons of deep-water fish," Saygbe said. "Yet our annual harvest is only about 53,000 metric tons. That tells you how much potential remains untapped."
NaFAA plans to use the conference to market investment opportunities across the entire fisheries value chain, from capture fisheries and aquaculture to processing, cold storage, and export infrastructure. A major focus, Saygbe noted, is Liberia's lack of a dedicated fishing port, which has forced vessels to land a significant portion of the country's catch in neighboring states.
"As it stands, about 17,000 metric tons of our annual harvest is landed outside Liberia," he said. "That means we are losing substantial export revenue simply because we do not have a dedicated fishing port. This is one of the major opportunities we want investors to examine."
Saygbe said regional leaders and private investors are expected to converge in Monrovia for the event, including fisheries ministers from Nigeria and Morocco--countries he said have made notable progress in fisheries management and value addition. Private companies from across Africa and beyond are also expected, alongside Liberian fish farmers, fishmongers, and sector professionals.
"The idea is to bring in best practices from other regions and see how we can integrate them into Liberia's context," he said. "Nigeria is doing well, and Morocco is doing extremely well, particularly in value addition. We want to learn from those experiences."
Beyond dialogue, Saygbe said the conference is expected to yield tangible outcomes, including the signing of several investment agreements. Among them is a partnership with Orange Liberia to integrate mobile technology into fisheries operations, including digital payment of license fees by artisanal fishermen across Liberia's nine coastal counties.
He said the collaboration will debut during NaFAA's next fish market day on March 14 at Invincible Park. He said, Orange also intends to introduce the use of solar freezers as a step in the right direction to minimize post-harvest loss.
Another agreement is expected to formalize private-sector operation of the Sea King semi-industrial fishing vessel, while discussions are also underway to transfer management of the long-dormant Robertsport fisheries cluster to a private operator, a move Saygbe said could generate thousands of jobs in western Liberia.
The conference agenda will feature thematic discussions on sustainable fisheries management, governance, aquaculture, innovation, and value addition, with Liberian experts sharing panels with international partners. Saygbe said development partners, including the World Bank and the European Union, are supporting the event through ongoing fisheries and private-sector development projects.
He stressed that Kpongama is being organized as a whole-of-government initiative aimed at boosting investor confidence. An inter-agency steering committee, he said, includes the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and State, the National Investment Commission, the Liberia Immigration Service, the Liberia National Police, Ministry of Commerce, among others
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"This is not just a NaFAA event," Saygbe said. "It is a Republic of Liberia effort. We want investors to see that the government is united and that the country is ready for business."
Saygbe said the conference will also mark the official launch of several policy documents intended to guide the sector beyond 2026, including a 10-year fisheries strategic plan, a public-private partnership strategy, an investment plan, and a national aquaculture strategy.
In a nod to local content, he said all food served during the conference will be sourced locally, from fish caught in Liberian waters to domestically grown rice and produce, underscoring the economic linkages the sector can create.
"All the fish that will be prepared will be locally produced and locally purchased," Saygbe said. "Every fish you eat there will come from Liberian waters."
NaFAA has also reserved seats for artisanal fishermen and fishmongers, whom Saygbe described as central to the sector's future.
"The conference is about them," he said. "It is about how we harness what we have, add value, create jobs, and ensure that fisheries contribute far more to livelihoods and the national economy in the years ahead."
