Monrovia — The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has launched a nationwide initiative to digitize and decentralize business registration, a reform aimed at making it easier, faster and more affordable for Liberians to formalize their businesses without traveling to Monrovia.
The initiative, officially launched on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in Kakata City, Margibi County, will initially establish fully digital business registration services in seven counties.
The first phase covers Margibi, Grand Bassa, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Gedeh and River Gee, with plans to establish seven fully operational digital sub-offices of the Liberia Business Registry (LBR).
The reform is expected to facilitate the registration of 4,500 new micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), including 1,200 youth-owned businesses and 1,500 women-led enterprises.
Speaking at the launch in Kakata, Deputy Minister for Administration Tarnue N. Jeke, who represented Commerce and Industry Minister Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh, described the initiative as a major step toward bringing government services closer to citizens.
Deputy Minister Jeke said the digitization and decentralization of the LBR would reduce the time and costs entrepreneurs face when traveling to Monrovia to register their businesses.
“Our goal is simple: no entrepreneur should be left behind because of where they live,” Jeke said. “Whether you operate a small shop, an agro-processing business, a transport service, a technology enterprise, or any other business, you deserve a fair opportunity to become part of Liberia’s formal economy.”
The reform is intended to improve access to formal business registration, particularly for entrepreneurs operating outside Montserrado County, while reducing administrative bottlenecks associated with the traditional registration process.
Liberia Business Registry Director General Patience Randall also urged entrepreneurs to take advantage of the new system and register their businesses directly through the Registry’s official channels.
Randall said the LBR has been working since she assumed office in 2024 to simplify and accelerate business registration by removing unnecessary bottlenecks and improving service delivery.
She cautioned business owners against relying on unauthorized intermediaries and encouraged them to engage directly with the Registry to avoid unnecessary costs and potential complications.
Following the launch in Margibi County, the Ministry’s team continued the rollout in Bong County on August 12 and Nimba County on August 13.
The engagements attracted local business owners, youth groups, women entrepreneurs and community leaders, who participated in discussions about the new registration system and its benefits.
Residents in the participating counties have welcomed the initiative, describing the decentralization of business registration as a timely measure that could help reduce barriers to formalization and expand access to government services.
The initiative forms part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s broader efforts under Minister Dagoseh to modernize public service delivery and create a more accessible and competitive business environment.
By taking business registration services closer to entrepreneurs and introducing digital processes, the Ministry expects the reform to encourage more businesses to enter the formal economy while improving the efficiency and accessibility of government services nationwide.
