FAQs
Address your Investment Incentive request to:
Hon. Jeff B. Blibo
Chairman
National Investment Commission
jblibo@investliberia.gov.lr
FAQ
What are the types of incentives provided by the NIC?
Provided that the items/supplies are purchased for use with the investment activity and placed in service within one year of purchase, duty exemption is given on the following:
- Medical and educational equipment and supplies purchased in connection with the investment activity
- duty exemption on the importation of machinery and equipment
- duty exemption on the importation of capital spare parts
- Tax holiday
- Preferential tariff for electricity-when available
Automobiles, small trucks, and importation of fuel and lubricant are prohibited from exemption under this provision.
Who qualifies for investment incentives?
According to the Economic Empowerment Tax Amendment Act of 2016, Amendments to Section 16, and related amendments to Section 204 (d), to qualify for investment incentives:
- Investment capital must be at least USD $500,000.00.
- If the investment is for establishing a hospital or health clinic, the minimum capital should be no less than $50,000.00.
Investment should fall within specific sectors:
- Tourism – carried out through tourist resorts, hotels, and cultural sites
- Manufacturing – at least 60% of local raw material content
- Energy
- Hospitals and medical clinics
- Housing – low and medium income
- Transport infrastructure
- Information Technology
- Banking in the non-banking areas in the southeastern regions and in zone 1
- Poultry
- Horticulture
- Exportation of sea products
- Agricultural – food crop cultivation and processing including cocoa and coffee
- Small and medium scale rubber and oil palm cultivation and processing
What are the priority sectors of the Government of Liberia?
- Agriculture and Agro-processing (rubber, oil palm, rice, cassava, marine fisheries, aquaculture, horticulture, cocoa)
- Energy
- Infrastructure (ICT, port management, real estate/housing, logistics, oil, and gas)
- Education
- Health
- Manufacturing
- Waste management
- Mining
What are the businesses reserved exclusively for Liberians?
Provisions in the Investment Act of 2012 reserves ownership of the following business activities exclusively for Liberians:
a. Supply of sand
b. Block making
c. Peddling
d. Travel Agencies
e. Retail sale of rice and cement
f. Ice making and sale of ice
g. Tire repair shops
h. Auto repair shops with investments of less than USD $50,000
i. Shoe repair shops
j. Retail sale of timber and planks
k. Operation of gas stations
l. Video clubs
m. Operation of taxis
n. Importation or sale of second-hand or used clothing
o. Distribution in Liberia of locally manufacture products
p. Importation and sale of used cars (except authorized dealerships) which may deal in certified used vehicles of their make
Foreign investors may invest in the following with these conditions, an exclusively owned by non-Liberian, the capital requirement shall not be less than USD $500,000 and where Liberian own at least 25%, the capital requirement shall not be less than USD $300,000:
- Production and supply of stone and granite
- Ice cream manufacturing
- Commercial printing
- Advertising agencies, graphics and commercial artists
- Cinemas
- Production of poultry and poultry products
- Operation of water purification or bottling plant (excludes the production and sale of water in sachets
- Entertainment centers not connected with a hotel establishment
- Sale of animal and poultry feed
- Operation of heavy-duty trucks
- Bakeries
- Sale of pharmaceuticals
What are the steps for granting Investment Incentives?
Investor apply to the Liberia National Investment Commission (NIC) with the following:
- Business Registration
- Articles of Incorporation
- Business plan/project proposal
- Tax clearance
- Hard copy and soft copy on a USB of the Business Plan
- NIC conducts economic evaluation and makes a recommendation to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for certification based on:
- Projects of value-added potential
- Employment generation
- Degree and condition of Liberian participation
- Usage of local raw materials
The Minister of Finance either grants or rejects the incentive request.
Address your Investment Incentive request to:
The Chairman
National Investment Commission
M&E Professional Building,
UN Drive, P. O. Box 9043
Monrovia, Liberia
If granted, an Investment Incentive contract is signed.
How is NIC helping the Domestic Private Sector?
The NIC is working towards the growth of a sustainable domestic private sector in Liberia. Amongst the steps taken are:
- Business Linkage - a program to increase the procurement of local goods and services by the many concessionaires operating within our borders
- Seeking budgetary support for a two million United States dollars Economic Stimulus Package intended to support the growth of small and medium enterprises
- The NIC is working with the Liberia Bankers Association on access to finance and the availability of financial products to Liberian businesses throughout the country.
- The NIC is working with other partners to ensure the availability of business support services throughout the length and breadth of Liberia.
- The NIC is also working with business associations such as Liberian Business Association, Liberia Chamber of Commerce, etc. in addressing issues affecting them and has successfully assisted individual Liberian businesses to access incentives, finance, and land among other things.