By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority (LSEZA) has announced plans to establish Liberia’s first Packaging Solutions Center, an initiative aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and improving the quality and marketability of locally produced goods.
The facility, to be known as Liberia Packaging Solutions (LPS), will support Liberian businesses by enhancing product presentation, preservation, and packaging standards to meet internationally accepted requirements.
The announcement was made by LSEZA Executive Chairman Prince Wreh during a one-day SME conference held on Friday, March 13, 2026, which brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Liberia Standards Authority, the Liberia Tourism Authority, the Liberia Business Association, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
According to Wreh, inadequate packaging remains one of the major obstacles preventing many Liberian businesses from effectively competing in both domestic and international markets.
“Many local businesses struggle to compete effectively in both domestic and international markets due to limited packaging capacity,” Wreh said. He disclosed that approximately US$675,000 has been allocated under the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) to support the construction and initial setup of the center.
The funding will be used to procure specialized packaging equipment and develop the necessary infrastructure required to make the facility fully operational.
Wreh further noted that once completed, management of the center will be outsourced to experienced operators to ensure efficient and professional service delivery.
The Packaging Solutions Center is expected to provide modern packaging technologies and technical assistance to SMEs, enabling them to improve product quality, extend shelf life, and expand their reach to broader markets.
The SME conference was held under the theme “Unlocking Growth: Leveraging Special Economic Zones for SME Success.”
Also speaking at the conference, Ebenezer Wilson, Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at LSEZA, explained that the Authority was established by an Act of the Legislature in 2017 and became fully operational in 2024.
“Our job is to facilitate investment within specific geographic areas known as Special Economic Zones, where investors benefit from tax holidays, incentives, and waivers on certain duties and tariffs,” Wilson said.
He stressed that Liberian businesses must take a more active role in the country’s economic transformation.
“There should absolutely be no way that, in present times, Liberians should watch from the sidelines as their economy grows,” he stated.
Wilson disclosed that LSEZA is working to ensure Liberian businesses secure at least 20 percent participation within the Special Economic Zones, either through direct investment or through non-core services that support larger operations.
He urged Liberian entrepreneurs to strengthen their collaboration to maximize available opportunities.“One of the missing links is institutional collaboration,” Wilson noted.
“SMEs should form joint ventures so they can mobilize sufficient capital to achieve greater results rather than continue operating on a hand-to-mouth basis.”
The Senior Trade Policy Analyst Alex Sewo on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that Special Economic Zones have proven globally to be powerful engines for industrialization, export expansion, and job creation.
Sewo said across the world, special economic zones have demonstrated their ability to accelerate economic diversification and integrate countries into global value chains.
He noted that Liberia must focus on adding value to its natural resources and agricultural products rather than exporting them in raw form.
According to him, the construction of the refinery will help ensure that more of the benefits from agricultural production remain within Liberia.
