Liberia's business sector is largely controlled by foreigners mainly of Levantine (primarily Lebanese) and Indian descent. There also are limited numbers of
Chinese people engaged in agriculture. The largest timber concession, Oriental Timber Corporation (OTC), is Indonesian owned. There also are significant numbers of
West Africais engaged in cross-border trade. Legal monopolies are possible; for example,
Cemenco holds a monopoly on
cement production.
Forestry Timber and
rubber are Liberia's main export items since the end of the war. Liberia earns more than $100 million and more than $70 million annually from timber and rubber exports, respectively.
Mining and resources Mining remains a key sector of Liberia’s economy, with iron ore, gold, and diamonds among the country’s primary mineral resources. Prior to the civil war, iron ore accounted for more than half of Liberia’s export earnings, and the sector has since undergone gradual recovery through foreign investment. Major investments in iron ore production have been led by companies including ArcelorMittal and China Union, contributing to the revival of mining operations in Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties. In addition, U.S.-based Ivanhoe Atlantic has advanced development of the Kon Kweni iron ore deposit in neighboring Guinea, which is expected to utilize Liberian export infrastructure. Alluvial gold and diamond mining continue to support livelihoods in rural areas, largely through artisanal and small-scale operations. Liberia has conducted offshore oil exploration since the mid-2000s, with multiple licensing rounds attracting international companies including
Chevron,
ExxonMobil, and
Repsol. However, early exploration efforts failed to yield commercially viable discoveries, and many production-sharing contracts expired or were relinquished during the 2010s. Exploration activity resumed in the mid-2020s following regulatory reforms and renewed licensing efforts. In 2025,
TotalEnergies was awarded four offshore blocks in the Liberia Basin, marking the first major exploration agreements in over a decade and signaling renewed investor interest in the sector. Despite renewed activity, Liberia has not yet established commercial oil production, and offshore petroleum remains a prospective sector.
Infrastructure and strategic corridors In 2025, Liberia became central to the development of a proposed regional export route known as the "Liberty Corridor," linking iron ore deposits in southeastern Guinea to Liberia’s rail and port infrastructure. The corridor is anchored by the Yekepa–Buchanan railway and port system, which is intended to transport high-grade iron ore from Guinea’s Kon Kweni deposit to international markets. In December 2025, Liberia ratified a concession and access agreement granting U.S.-based Ivanhoe Atlantic use of the multi-user rail and port network, resolving a long-running dispute over infrastructure access rights. The agreement is expected to generate revenue for Liberia through rail usage fees, port charges, and related taxes. Phase 1 of the project is expected to begin with production of approximately 2 to 5 million tonnes per year, with longer-term plans to expand capacity to as much as 30 million tonnes annually.
Shipping flag of convenience Liberia maintains an open maritime registry, allowing foreign-owned vessels to register under the Liberian flag. This has made Liberia one of the world’s leading
flag of convenience states. According to the Liberian Registry, the registry had more than 5,900 vessels, over 297 million gross tons, and about 17% of the world fleet as of 2026.
Foreign aid Liberia has relied heavily on vast amounts of foreign assistance, particularly from the
United States,
Sweden,
Britain,
France,
Italy,
Germany, the
People's Republic of China, and
Romania. But because of the Liberian Government's perceived disregard for
human rights, foreign assistance to Liberia has declined drastically. The
Republic of China (Taiwan) and
Libya are currently the largest donors of direct financial aid to the Liberian Government. Significant amounts of aid continue to come in from Western countries through international aid agencies and non-governmental organizations, avoiding direct aid to the government.
Communications Communications in Liberia is the press, radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet. There are six major newspapers in Liberia, and 45% of the population has a mobile phone service. Also, the radio stations in Liberia are abundant to the extent that there are over 70 radio stations in the entire country (Liberia). As for Montserrado County, there exist about 30 radio stations. Even as it struggles with economic and political constraints, Liberia's media environment is expanding. The number of registered newspapers and radio stations (many of them community stations) is on the rise despite limited market potential. And politically critical content and investigative pieces do get published or broadcast.
Energy Liberia’s electricity sector has expanded since the end of the civil war, but access and reliability remain major development challenges. According to the World Bank, access to electricity reached 32.5% of the population in 2023. A 2025 World Bank analysis reported that installed generation capacity had increased from 22 MW in 2014 to 126 MW in 2024, while residential tariffs fell from US$0.52 per kWh in 2014 to about US$0.24 per kWh in 2024. The same analysis noted that imported electricity had risen to 50 MW, reflecting the growing importance of regional power trade. Exports are dominated by primary commodities, particularly iron ore, gold, rubber, timber, and cocoa, with limited value-added processing. Major export destinations include the United States, Belgium, and regional and Asian markets. Imports are sourced primarily from Côte d’Ivoire, China, India, the United States, and Japan. For fiscal year 2025, the Government of Liberia approved a national budget of approximately US$880.7 million, with total projected revenue of US$880.7 million, including core revenue of about US$861.9 million and contingent revenue of US$18.8 million. Fiscal policy continues to face constraints from limited domestic resource mobilization, exposure to commodity price fluctuations, and competing demands for public services and infrastructure. == International economic networks ==