Published: October 12, 2026
MONROVIA — The Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank Management Company and the Office of Diaspora Affairs plan to help young Liberian entrepreneurs sell palm oil, gari, dried fish, and other local products to diaspora buyers in the United States, Europe, and the ECOWAS region, with diaspora co-financing and mentorship.
The two institutions explored the collaboration Thursday at a meeting at the Executive Mansion and agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding. It would pair YEIB-MANCO’s enterprise financing and business development tools with the diaspora office’s global networks to help youth-led businesses grow, export and create jobs.
Participants said Liberian foods, including pepper with palm oil, gari, and dried fish, are in high demand among diaspora communities, and that local producers are well positioned to meet this demand with authentic Made-in-Liberia products. Some products sold abroad as Liberian are reportedly sourced from countries such as Ghana and Malaysia, a gap the partnership aims to close by connecting Liberian producers with diaspora buyers.
The partners see the demand as an opportunity for local micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to expand production, improve packaging and branding, meet international quality standards, and prepare to export.
Under the proposed arrangement, the Office of Diaspora Affairs, which falls under the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, would use its networks and matchmaking platforms to connect youth-led businesses with buyers, distributors, investors, and partners abroad.
The meeting identified potential areas of cooperation, including diaspora-backed investment and co-financing for youth enterprises; mentorship from diaspora professionals and entrepreneurs; training and technical assistance; business-to-business matchmaking; export development and trade facilitation; and joint promotion of Liberian businesses on international platforms.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank is a joint initiative of the government of Liberia and the African Development Bank. It operates through three instruments: a Technical Assistance Facility that provides business development services and capacity building; an Enterprise Investment Facility that provides direct investment financing; and a Credit Guarantee Facility that reduces the risk of lending to young entrepreneurs.
The partners also discussed linking the collaboration to two diaspora office initiatives under development: the Diaspora Professional Service Corps, which aims to match diaspora professionals’ skills with needs in Liberia, and the iLiberia Platform, a digital tool designed to connect Liberians at home and abroad with opportunities and resources.
They also discussed the 2026 Diaspora Annual Return, which the diaspora office is organizing with government institutions, business leaders, cultural organizations and international partners. The office expects the event to draw hundreds of diaspora Liberians and friends of Liberia, and the partners see it as a platform to showcase eligible youth-led businesses to diaspora investors and professionals.
Beyond the memorandum, the two institutions agreed to identify where YEIB’s existing programs and budget lines align with the diaspora office’s activities.
Erasmus Williams, head of the Office of Diaspora Affairs, and Emmanuel B. Kollie, the office’s chief administrative officer, attended the meeting. YEIB-MANCO was represented by Chief Executive Officer Joseph Fatorma Sando; Hillary B. David, director of enterprise development; and Marcus B. Zarway, YEIB-AfDB project coordinator.
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