Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County — Ten Liberian businesses have benefited from a three-day business development workshop held under the Liberia MSMEs Growth Accelerator Programme – Cohort V, an initiative that supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in scaling up and contributing to national economic growth.
The training, conducted from September 18 to 20, 2025, in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County, brought together representatives from ten businesses that were selected through the programme’s Pitch and Selection Event earlier this year. The workshop marked the first in a series of capacity-building activities under the Growth Accelerator’s fifth cohort.
The event was implemented by iCampus Liberia, with Accountability Lab serving as the fiscal sponsor, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI). Other development partners and financial institutions, including Bloom Bank Africa Liberia and Ecobank Liberia, also participated in the sessions.
Over three days, participants were introduced to practical business tools and strategies designed to strengthen their enterprises for long-term growth. Core modules included SWOT Analysis, Business Model Canvas, and Design Thinking, which guided participants through analyzing internal strengths, identifying market opportunities, and developing customer-centered business strategies.
In addition, sessions on digital marketing, customer profiling, and investor communication provided hands-on exposure to modern business practices and investor relations. These sessions emphasized how SMEs can leverage digital tools and effective storytelling to attract investment and expand their market presence.
According to Luther Jeke, Chief Executive Officer of iCampus Liberia, the Growth Accelerator is helping to transform how Liberian businesses grow and operate by providing a structured approach to enterprise development.
“The Accelerator serves as a bridge between innovative entrepreneurs and the ecosystem of support they need to scale,” Jeke said. “Our goal is to ensure that Liberian businesses are not only surviving but thriving through better systems, innovation, and access to investment.”
Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in group exercises, presentations, and peer learning activities that encouraged collaboration and networking among local entrepreneurs. These interactive sessions also allowed them to share challenges and practical solutions related to business management, market linkages, and resource mobilization.
Financial institutions such as Bloom Bank Africa Liberia and Ecobank Liberia led discussions on investment readiness, helping participants understand how to position their businesses for credit facilities and partnership opportunities. Organizers say this engagement is crucial for improving SMEs’ access to finance—one of the biggest barriers to growth in Liberia’s private sector.
The workshop concluded with reflections and action planning, as participants prepared for the next stage of the Growth Accelerator, which includes mentorship, coaching, and co-financing opportunities. Organizers described the event as a success, noting that it laid a solid foundation for the selected businesses to scale sustainably and contribute to job creation.
The Liberia MSMEs Growth Accelerator Programme is a national business development initiative launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Accountability Lab (iCampus Liberia). The programme supports revenue-generating micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and commercially inclined agricultural cooperatives.
Liberia’s economy is predominantly informal, with about 85 percent of the workforce engaged in small-scale business activities, subsistence agriculture, and informal trade. The Growth Accelerator seeks to harness the entrepreneurial potential within this sector by providing structured support in training, mentorship, and access to financing.
Each cohort of the programme identifies promising businesses through a competitive pitch process and supports them to build stronger management systems, expand operations, and create sustainable employment.
Now in its fifth cohort, the Growth Accelerator Liberia Programme continues to position local entrepreneurs as key drivers of inclusive economic growth, demonstrating that empowering homegrown businesses is central to achieving Liberia’s development goals.