Possible opportunity. https://liberiahrjobs.com/job/lead-procurement-specialist/

It will be a pleasure for me to get to know each and every one of you. I am looking forward to contribute my "Two Cent" to the conversation. Together, we can make Liberia Great!

Three countries meet on top of a mountain - one of the highest located places in all of west africa. This journey will not only bring us to an interesting junction - but will take us to the heart of westafrica. Join the motorcycle expedition from the mining town Yekepa in Liberia to the top of Nimba mountain, where Liberia, Guinea and Cote D’Ivoire meet. The area around Yekepa is highly used for mining and more or less owned by an Indian steel company - including gated roads. There is only one hotel to stay as a foreigner and the only place to find food is the canteen of the workers of the mines. To be able to ride to the top of Mount Nimba, we asked advice of the rangers of Nimba Nature Reserve who showed us the way up the small and steep trails. Follow our motorcycle expedition to the highest mountain range of West Africa - and join our ride to a breathtaking blue lake and abandoned steel factory.

Welcome Madam Effua McGowan!!

Why Liberia Will Attract Foreign Direct Investment of $3 Billion between 2022-2024. Liberia Economy Monrovia.

Liberia Tenders - 24 Live Government and Federal Contracts in Liberia 2024: Find Live Business Contracts for your Product and Services in Liberia invited by multiple Procurement Agencies from Liberia through eTendering, eProcurment, eAuction platforms of Liberia Procurement Departments. All Government Tender Notices, Federal Contracts, Municipality Bids RFPs, RFQs, Contract Notices, Solicitations are available from Liberia tenders' pages. Today 24 Live Tenders and Government Contracts are found from Liberia. In addition to Tender Information, Bidding Consultancy and facilitation Services are also provided. Highly Experienced Bidding Consultants assists in Writing a Responsive and Winning Bid Proposal of Liberia Tenders.

IMPERIAL 88 CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING is looking for a CIVIL ENGINEER to join their team of Engineers on a long term full time Contract. https://www.emansion.gov.lr/sites/default/files/documents/Civil%20Engineer%20Vacancy.pdf

Opportunity to submit a bid for IMPROVING RESULTS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION (IRISE) PROJECT E.J.S MINISTERIAL COMPLEX, CONGO TOWN, MONROVIA, LIBERIA https://www.emansion.gov.lr/sites/default/files/documents/SPECIF_1.PDF

Greetings all! Are you a woman entrepreneur driving change? Apply Now to gain valuable exposure, resources, cash support and opportunities for your business to thrive. https://hafug.org/bayer-foundation-women-empowerment-2024-award-e25000-cash-support/

Great invention! https://youtu.be/t5kaWopEtYY?si=-vR0SjvLAdzotCEp

Fisheries Specialist- Liberia Fisheries Governance Project.

SBA-Prosper Africa: Connecting U.S. And West African Small Businesses Discussion https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-prosper-africa-connecting-us-and-west-african-small-businesses-tickets-753479606787?aff=oddtdtcreator

Inventing the needed surely solves a world problem. https://youtu.be/t5kaWopEtYY?si=KxP7ILT_4mpApkm8

Ten Liberian Businesses Win UNDP Growth Accelerator US$40K Grants UNDP Liberia Growth Accelerator Programme has awarded substantial grants of US$40,000 each to ten promising Liberian businesses after emerging winners from a pitching exercise in the annual business plan competition. This year's winners are part of the third cohort, which includes businesses involved in clean and renewable energy, drawn from a pool of diverse representation across various sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing. The programme heavily supported by UNDP provides promising entrepreneurs with mentorship, financial support, and other resources that are needed to scale up business operations. Under this initiative, MSMEs owners submit proposals/business development plans outlining their growth plans, financial needs, and potential for development and then compete for the funds. “We are glad to see Liberian entrepreneurs stepping up to seize opportunities in various ways, which show a positive sign of a future where Liberians can drive their local economy,” says UNDP Liberia Resident Representative a.i. Louis Kuukpen. Kuukpen noted that the Government of Liberia, in partnership with UNDP, is working to address the issue of unemployment through several economic policies aimed at expanding MSMEs, the private sector, and entrepreneurship. He said UNDP recognizes support to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) enhances sustainable economic development, and reduces poverty, welcoming the participation of development partners in this important space. “I am glad that we have this platform and welcome many partners onboard so that together we can help Liberians grow and scale up their businesses through access to risk capital, innovation, and a business acceleration programme that achieves the overall goals of bringing economic growth, new jobs and prosperity to Liberia,” Kuukpen emphasized. Meanwhile, the UNDP Coordinator for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development has cautioned this year’s winners/grantees to ensure that the funds are used as stipulated in their business plans. Abraham Tumbey informed the winners that before any tranche of the fund is released, a grantee will have to submit a detailed “value-for-money assessment form, which is intended to avoid issues of diversion, which they have experienced in the past. “This year, before UNDP gives out their money to the selected winners, there will be a detailed value-for-money assessment from them. So, for those of you who won, we want you to take this as a challenge that the Growth Accelerator is not free money, but it is there to encourage you to do what serves you best. If you came here and presented a very good proposal or business plan, which won you the grant, you cannot change it. This would not work because it is going to be difficult. Every year, we intensify the processes based on the lessons learned from the previous year. If you win this grant to buy balloons, you will buy balloons; you will not buy pumpkins. So, we are going to be very strict on that,” Tumbey warned. This year, the Growth Accelerator Programme received a total of 177 applications for the regular MSMEs and clean and renewable energy cohorts. The CEO of iCampus, the implementing partner of the programme disclosed that over the last three years, small businesses have received a total of US$1.3 million disbursed with the sole intent of helping MSMEs scale up and improve. Luther Jeke mentioned that the amount also includes support to ten agriculture cooperatives. “Eighteen businesses were selected in 2021 and 13 in 2022. Each of them received US$40,000, which is about US$720,000 and when added to the US$600,000 expenditure for 2023, it amounts to US$1.3 million,” Jeke added. He advised the beneficiaries to use the grants as intended. “My advice to these small businesses that are fortunate to have won this grant is to use the money for its intended purpose. Scale and grow your business. If you need more human resources, employ more people; if you need to buy more machinery and equipment, buy them,” he cautioned.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE LACF GRANTS: 98,000 target Smallholder Farmers of which 30 percent will be women and 35 percent as youth. Agribusinesses and business development enterprises with good business linkages to smallholder farmers in the rice, oil palm, horticulture, cassava, rubber, poultry and piggery value chains. Other value chains that demonstrate commercial viability and integrate smallholder farmers in the intervention areas may be added based on additional funding and negotiations with the Funder.

If you own or operate a business in the US this is for you. The interest rates at a 22-year high, Michael Pugh says Black business owners crunched for cash should look to community-based financial institutions for help.

Watch top McKinsey & Co. consultant, Olayinka Majekodunmi, in solving an African business case. This webinar provides an in-depth analysis of a regionally relevant case study of intermediate difficulty - which will be solved in a live, interactive session. Come armed with your business and entrepreneurial skills!

RFP

CLOSING DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 International Open Call for Tender

The NewVoice Family was forged out of a deep commitment to see Black and women of color entrepreneurs gain greater access to capital, resources and expertise. Today, it was an honor to be described as "trailblazers" by @Nasdaq. To have our founder, @RichelieuDennis, a Liberian American, stand shoulder to shoulder with so many integral members of the #NewVoicesFamily and ring the opening bell for Nasdaq--an undeniable symbol of business and growth--was truly a historic moment!

LIBERIA 2040: A DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP: Liberia has long since been a country in crisis, forever playing catch up from its last disaster. Now, the country has a unique opportunity — the civil war has ended, the nation is Ebola free, and the international community is willing to provide support. The Liberian government must leverage this moment of relative stability and set the nation on a path toward success. The following memo will outline our recommendations to start this long journey.

The Mental Health Program is guided by the Carter Center’s belief that access to health is a human right and that mental health is necessary for overall health. The Global Behavioral Health Initiative is actively engaged in the global mental health revolution, a collective effort to decrease stigma and improve access to mental health services and supports. This work enables low- and middle-income countries, such as Liberia, to enhance overall health, reduce inequities, and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Global Behavioral Health Initiative is focused on: • Ensuring a sustainable, quality, and accessible behavioral health system in Liberia through comprehensive support and technical assistance. • Capturing knowledge and lessons learned in Liberia to help other countries navigate their behavioral health needs and adapt and implement best practices. • Exploring the intersection of behavioral health and other global health and development priorities, such as the role that mental health support can play for people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Liberia's president-elect to review mining concessions

The World Bank has approved a financing package to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia. The Liberia Investment, Finance, and Trade (LIFT) project, financed by the International Development Association (IDA) in the amount of $40 million ($20 million grant and $20 million credit), is the first World Bank financing project in a generation to support Liberia’s private and financial sectors and the first such for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Central Bank of Liberia. The LIFT project will improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia. In doing so, the project is supporting Liberia’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, in particular, pillar two that focuses on the Economy and Jobs. It has been prepared under the Government’s leadership and in close collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other Donors that are also supporting Liberia’s private and financial sectors. “The financing package will be critical to supporting the Government’s jobs agenda, as it is through the private sector that Liberia can create more and sustainable jobs,” said Dr. Khwima Nthara, World Bank Country Manager in Liberia. “In particular, building on recent improvements in macroeconomic indicators, the project will support far-reaching structural reforms that will improve the business environment and hence, send a clear message that Liberia is truly open for business,” he added. This new project will improve Liberia’s investment climate by strengthening institutions providing government to business services covering investment support, business licensing and an international trade single window; and improves capabilities and competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises through targeted technical assistance linking them to markets and access to finance, through technical assistance and a Line of Credit. Additionally, the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project seek towards supporting access to digital financial services, through a new National Electronic Payment Switch, and a Credit Reference System. “The need for increased private sector investment and for SMEs to have access to markets and finance is very critical,” said Task Team Leaders Thomas Vis and Kiyotaka Tanaka. “Therefore, this LIFT Project will seek to capitalize on emerging national, regional and international trade opportunities and the existence and potential of Foreign Direct Investment in Liberia, to offer a combination of technical assistance and finance to support SMEs to access markets, improve capabilities, and increase productivity” they added.

This community will be a wonderful place for Liberia professionals to interact.

Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) is USAID’s open innovation program that funds breakthrough solutions to the world's toughest development challenges. By funding innovation and focusing on rigorous evidence, DIV impacts millions of lives at a fraction of the usual cost. DIV provides grant funding based on a tiered-evidence approach that maximizes impact per dollar spent. DIV's model allows for risk at early stages and mitigates risk at later stages, ensuring that funding is targeted to the most impactful and cost-effective innovations. DIV believes that the best ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. DIV supports innovators and researchers around the world to test new ideas, take strategic risks, build evidence of what works, and advance the best solutions. DIV looks for solutions that demonstrate rigorous evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and a viable pathway to scale and sustainability. Learn more about DIV’s core principles. DIV offers the following funding: Stage 1 Grants: Pilot (Up to $200,000) Stage 2 Grants: Test and Position for Scale (Up to $1,500,000) Stage 3 Grants: Transition to Scale (Up to $15,000,000) Evidence Generation Grants (Up to $1,500,000) Applicants should apply to the level that best matches their current scale and evidence base. Read more about DIV’s stages and how to apply. LEARN MORE Since 2010, DIV has funded 277 innovation grants in 49 countries. Explore DIV and its portfolio of innovations on the DIV Portal website. DIV is driven by its social return on investment, which is the benefit to society generated by DIV’s investments. In its first three years, DIV’s portfolio returned over $17 in social benefit for each dollar awarded—a 17:1 return on investment, according to the research paper, “Is Development Economics a Good Investment? Evidence on scaling rate and social returns from USAID’s innovation fund,” by Michael Kremer, Sasha Gallant, Olga Rostapshova and Milan Thomas. DIV provides funding through fixed amount awards, a unique type of Federal grant instrument that is designed to pay for results through milestone payments, not just reimbursing costs like traditional grants.

Thierry Wandji’s passion for Africa’s economic development is evident, even over Zoom. An immigrant from Cameroon—a country sometimes referred to as “Africa in miniature” for the diversity of its landscapes and people—Wandji came to the United States at the urging of his mother and on a scholarship to pursue a Master’s Degree at Morgan State University, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) located in Baltimore, Maryland. Two master’s degrees and one Ph.D. later, he is the Director of Cybersecurity Education at NC State and the CEO of his own cybersecurity company, Cybastion Institute of Technology. Towards the completion of his education, Wandji thought, “What can I do to help my home country? How can I leverage everything that I’ve learned?” he says. “Technology is huge in Africa. People use mobile money and rely on their cell phones to do everything. But they’re getting hurt a lot because it’s not secure, so I thought, ‘I need to start a cybersecurity company.’’’ Cybersecurity is a necessary foundation for tech-enabled growth. It underpins secure digital services that can be powerful tools to fight corruption, strengthening a country’s business environment. For example, according to Wandji, digitalizing the tax payment system for the Central African Republic (CAR) made transactions easier by allowing citizens to pay their taxes with their phones, rather than in person. It also made these transactions less vulnerable to corruption by moving them away from cash—resulting in a 12% increase in the revenue the government was able to collect. Cybersecurity can also support job creation, an urgent need on a continent where 60% of people are below the age of 25. This youth bulge could leverage technology and digitalization to “create the jobs that they want,” says Wandji. But poor cybersecurity undermines much of this potential, handicapping entrepreneurs and scaring off foreign companies. As African countries work to upgrade their internet infrastructure and cybersecurity systems, Wandji’s expertise positions him well to close the gaps, as does his identity as an African Diaspora entrepreneur. His winning combination of technical expertise, cultural fluency (including being multilingual), and charisma enabled him to partner with Cisco and edge out a Chinese competitor for a contract with the Government of Burkina Faso—a testament to the value that he and other members of the African Diaspora can bring to doing business in Africa. Finding Opportunities That Others Miss Wandji has an ear to the ground in markets across the continent. He went to college in Canada and shared that many of his African Diaspora classmates returned to Africa to explore opportunities in entrepreneurship, private sector, and government, forming a network across the continent. Wandji also keeps an eye on Africa-focused news—like Africa 24, a 24-hour, French-language news network dedicated to news across countries in Africa, and In Business Africa from the BBC. This enabled him to surface a significant business opportunity: Wandji heard that Burkina Faso had signed a contract with a Chinese company to build internet infrastructure and a data center, and that it was considering buying additional services. For Wandji, the next step would be to fly to Burkina Faso to seek meetings with government ministers about the contract. He was eventually able to meet with the director of the country’s National Information Systems Security Agency. As Wandji describes it, “I tried to explain to him—I saw this on the news and I think I have a better proposition for a cheaper price. And he looked at me like I was crazy. So I said—Look, I’m just like you. I grew up in Africa. I went to the United States. I’m a professor there. And when I see what’s going on here, it just breaks my heart. I think I can help you.” Finally, the minister agreed to give him a chance. Wandji had two months to produce a feasibility study; he and his colleagues spent several weeks in Burkina Faso putting together a technical proposition. The minister was interested, but the proposal had one problem: it was unclear how Wandji would finance the project. “The minister said, ‘We go to China because it’s a one-stop shop. How are you going to solve the financing?” says Wandji. He asked for more time and called the U.S. Government for help. Wandji spoke to Prosper Africa’s Bill Fanjoy, then the Director of Commercial Service for Virginia and Washington, DC at the Department of Commerce. “When I first spoke with Thierry, I knew there was something here but I also knew most of the U.S. Government tools would not immediately address the challenges he was facing,” says Fanjoy. “However, as I looked at the situation more holistically I saw that there was an opportunity to secure other U.S. business collaboration and alternative investment and get the U.S. Government engaged. I was able to connect him with some private sector investors and kept the Embassy up to date as things began to accelerate with the transaction.” Fanjoy connected Wandji to Cisco Capital, which went on to provide much of the equipment needed to implement the project, with Wandji’s company managing maintenance and tech support. Cisco also connected Wandji with Vista Bank. Vista Bank delivered the financing for the project. This partnership held the key to unlocking the deal and beating out Wandji’s Chinese competitor. “Bill Fanjoy is the best public servant I’ve ever seen,” says Wandji. “If it weren’t for Bill, I don’t think I would have started anything. Whenever I went anywhere, Bill always sent an email ahead of me to the Embassy, saying, ‘Hey, I have this U.S. citizen coming. He wants to do something great. Please talk to him. Help him out.’” This U.S. Government support put the wind at Wandji’s back. Fanjoy even made sure the U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso attended the launch of the project. “The Government of Burkina is used to having Ambassadors from China or France or other countries come to support their businesses,” says Wandji. “If we didn’t have the U.S. Ambassador, it would have seemed like the U.S. Government didn’t trust my company, or that they just weren’t interested. It was very, very important to have her there with the Prime Minister to show the U.S. was backing this.” A Winning Combination: Small Business, Big Business, and the U.S. Government Markets in West and Central Africa vary in size, and this fragmentation makes it hard for large companies to identify business opportunities, accurately assess their risk, and tailor a pitch. While these markets represent a sizable opportunity in the aggregate, trying to approach them that way—with a one-size-fits-all offer—usually falls flat. Wandji explains that his flexible, entrepreneurial approach to clients and markets is better suited to winning business. “All the big U.S. corporations will never be able to get into the smaller markets in West Africa or Central Africa if they just look at them as numbers,” he says. Their expensive sales approach and products are tailored for large clients and large volumes. “It’s not going to work,” in small African markets, he says. “The customer doesn’t completely know what they want, but they know it’s not that. It’s not customized to them.” He believes the winning strategy requires someone like himself at the front end: a technical expert and salesperson who can see opportunities where others see risk, and who can make these opportunities visible to big corporates. This person must also understand what local customers need and be able to build trust and rapport. Still, Wandji knows that he needs to partner with big businesses on the back end to be successful, and by joining forces with Cisco in Burkina Faso, he was able to put forward a competitive proposal. “If you want to counter someone like [Chinese telecoms company] Huawei, you need to bring in an established company,” he says. “To counter a giant, you need a giant.” Wandji also needs their expertise and products. “I’m selling trust. I want the quality.… And I know, with Cisco, they have what it takes…. I know their equipment doesn’t fail. It represents the best of what the United States can do.” Immigrants: America’s Vital Resource in Africa The African Diaspora is already credited with having a major positive impact on African economies. That reputation to date has been earned not through trade but through personal remittances, which often exceed total development assistance to many countries. Remittances to Cameroon, for example, grew from $115 million annually in 2010 to $355 million in 2019, or from 0.4% to 0.9% of the country’s GDP. Larger and higher-income economies, such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, receive far greater sums through remittances. Still, when African emigrants return to do business in their countries of origin and neighboring markets, the impact can be even greater and have a longer-term influence. “I can make bridges very easily,” Wandji says. “Even though I’m a foreigner, when I’m sitting with them, they usually don’t take me as a foreigner…They see themselves in me… They feel like they can go and have a beer with me,” he says. “In Africa, that trust is so important. I speak French with them. I can speak some of the dialects, and they really see me as one of them.” This language connection has significant benefits—Wandji’s customers don’t worry that they are misunderstanding something he is saying, or that they will be taken advantage of. The African Diaspora, Wandji concludes, is a highly competitive resource and tool for American business success on the continent. The pool of American immigrants who were born in Africa exceeds two million, some of whom possess strong business skills that make them unique ambassadors and implementers of America’s policies encouraging increased trade and investment, he explains. Wandji prides himself on being someone who understands what his customers need and doesn’t try to sell them things they can’t afford. He can often offer packages that are more attractive than international competitors who rely on aggressive financing terms because he knows how to tailor his offer wisely. For example, he leverages open-source software so that customers don’t have to pay for expensive annual licenses. He sells customers what they need and no more. “I understand where they’re coming from,” he says, “I can give them the right technical requirement and build the right thing they need with room for growth, at a cheaper price. Sometimes they don’t need as much as you think they will. They don’t need to pay one million dollars in licensing fees every year. They won’t be able to afford it. I believe the fact that I understand the environments in Africa means that I am able to give them something customized, and that really helps them out. That makes our proposition different. And it means the country doesn’t have to take on so much debt.” Another benefit for Wandji’s customers: he is committed to creating jobs and building capacity, training up local engineers to manage the facilities he builds. He only plans to operate these facilities for the first two or three years, then hand over the reins. He says, “What the Government [of Burkina] likes about us is, ‘Hey, ten years from now, our people are going to be able to operate this thing. They’re going to be able to do it. They’re going to be able to understand….’ It’s going to be integrated and installed by local people with the support of the U.S.” Wandji’s job as a professor makes him particularly well-suited to the build, operate, and train approach. He says that he was able to get a contract to bring 20 people from the Government of Burkina every year for the next five years to be trained at N.C. State, where he teaches. While he excels as an entrepreneur, easily winning over clients and delivering results by harnessing powerhouses in finance, government, academia, and the private sector, Wandji remains an idealist and professor at heart. He hopes to see more students from the African Diaspora follow in his footsteps, urging them to: “get your education and get some experience. And then get involved with what’s going on in Africa. Find a way to contribute. The opportunity is there.”

USADF Grants for African-Owned Businesses Get financial assistance for your business The U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) invests grants of up to $250,000 directly into underserved community enterprises. USADF partners with community enterprises to support organizations that create and sustain jobs, improve income levels, and achieve greater food security. How to Apply:

In this episode I am trying to make it to the border of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire. The jungle ride is fantastic, until I encounter a stretch of road which becomes worse and worse. This is the day that my ride through West-Africa changes drastically. Want to learn how to use drones, GoPros and 360 cameras to film your solo motorcycle adventure? Check out: www.itchyboots.com/academy Here I teach all my filming techniques including getting drone shots while riding!

This factsheet provides the latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and Liberia. Date of release: 21 September 2023; Date of next planned release: 19 October 2023 Total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Liberia was £119 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2023, an increase of 91.9% or £57 million in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q1 2022. Of this £119 million: • Total UK exports to Liberia amounted to £71 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2023 (an increase of 115.2% or £38 million in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q1 2022) • Total UK imports from Liberia amounted to £48 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2023 (an increase of 65.5% or £19 million in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q1 2022). Liberia was the UK’s 148th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2023 accounting for less than 0.1% of total UK trade. In 2021, the outward stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) from the UK in Liberia was £7 million. In 2021, the inward stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the UK from Liberia was £36 million.2

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