UNIDO and LIPO Empower Liberian Entrepreneurs with Skills to Grow and Protect Their Businesses

For many small business owners in Liberia, growth is not only about producing quality goods—it is about understanding the value of what they create. A new initiative by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) is helping entrepreneurs do exactly that. 

Through a 23-day Business and Intellectual Property Management Clinic, 100 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across four counties are gaining practical skills to strengthen their businesses, protect their ideas and compete in growing markets.

At the heart of the programme is a simple but powerful shift in mindset.

“Many Liberian businesses possess valuable intellectual assets but often do not recognize them as business resources that can be protected and commercialized,” said Hon. Jamus P. Bannah of LIPO. “Through this clinic, we are helping entrepreneurs understand that their brands, product names, innovations, packaging and unique business practices have value and can contribute to business growth when properly managed.” 

For participants—many of whom operate in agriculture and agro-processing—this realization opens new possibilities. Across Lofa, Bong, Nimba and Margibi counties, entrepreneurs are not only learning how to register intellectual property, but also how to strengthen their financial systems, improve branding and position their products more competitively. 

UNIDO’s GROW-2 Project is supporting this transformation by connecting business fundamentals with intellectual property knowledge—an approach that responds directly to the realities faced by small businesses. 

“For many small businesses, growth is not limited only by the quality of their products,” said Mr. Dave Asa Newton of UNIDO. “It is also affected by weak records, limited branding, poor financial systems, low levels of formalization and limited understanding of the value of intellectual property.”

By addressing these challenges together, the programme is helping entrepreneurs move from informal operations to more structured and resilient enterprises.

“Through this collaboration, entrepreneurs learn how to protect what they create, strengthen how they operate and position themselves for better market, finance and investment opportunities,” Mr. Newton added. 

Beyond technical training, the clinic encourages participants to reflect on their own business journeys and take practical steps to improve.

“A product name, logo, packaging design, recipe, innovation or processing method can become a strong business asset when properly identified, protected and managed,” Mr. Newton emphasized, urging participants to take full advantage of the opportunity. 

This partnership between UNIDO and LIPO also reflects a broader commitment to inclusive economic development in Liberia—where strengthening MSMEs is key to job creation, local production and long-term resilience. 

As the country works to boost value addition and support private sector growth, initiatives like this are equipping entrepreneurs with the tools they need not just to survive—but to grow with confidence. 

By the end of the training, participating MSMEs are expected to have stronger business systems, improved financial management skills and a clearer understanding of how to turn their ideas into valuable assets. 

For many, this is more than training—it is a turning point toward building businesses that are not only sustainable, but also competitive in Liberia’s evolving economy.