By: Energy capital & power

Liberia is positioning itself as a leading destination for investment in critical minerals and renewable energy, with opportunities spanning mining, infrastructure and public-private partnerships, according to Ambassador Isaac E. Taggart, Jr., Special Envoy for U.S. Trade & Investment under Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking yesterday at the U.S.-Africa Energy Forum in Houston last week, Taggart underscored the country’s ambition to move beyond raw material exports into in-country processing and value addition.

“We are exporting a great deal of raw material, but it’s imperative that we get to the value addition space,” said Taggart, highlighting Liberia’s potential in lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and other rare earth elements. He noted that further geological surveying and exploration will be essential to realizing this potential.

Liberia is offering a package of investor-friendly incentives, including tax holidays of up to five years for qualifying projects, duty-free exemptions on capital imports, a 25% corporate tax rate and the right to repatriate 100% of profits. The country also enjoys duty-free access to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, operates a dual-currency economy and is advancing the development of Special Economic Zones.

With a geostrategic location as a gateway to West Africa and a pro-investment climate, Liberia is seeking to diversify exports and build global partnerships “from aid to trade,” Taggart said.

Opportunities extend beyond mining to independent power producer projects in hydro, solar, biomass and gas-to-power, as well as grid expansion for rural electrification. Infrastructure modernization is also high on the agenda, from major road and coastal highway projects to the rehabilitation of ports and airports.

Tourism and housing are part of the vision, with the rehabilitation of the landmark Hotel Africa under a long-term PPP or joint venture and the development of more than 100,000 housing units, including affordable and modular options.

Last June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched its “Bridge to Prosperity: U.S. to Liberia Trade and Investment Mission,” aimed at boosting economic growth and cooperation between the two countries and bringing U.S.-based investors to explore opportunities in Liberia. Taggart emphasized that the country is seeking both developers and financiers to accelerate electrification, infrastructure upgrades and industrial diversification.