Voinjama, Lofa County – June 3, 2026 – The Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), through its GROW-2 Project, has launched a 23-day intensive training program aimed at strengthening the business and intellectual property management capacities of 100 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) across four counties.

The training, which officially kicked off on June 1 in Voinjama, Lofa County, forms part of the Business and Intellectual Property Management Clinic initiative. The program is designed to help MSMEs identify, protect and commercialize their intellectual property assets while also improving their overall business management, financial readiness and market competitiveness.

The initiative will reach 100 MSMEs, particularly businesses operating within agriculture, agro-processing and related value chains, across Lofa, Bong, Nimba and Margibi counties. During the training in each county, participants will receive practical guidance on intellectual property, registration procedures, branding, business management, financial literacy, market positioning and enterprise growth planning.

Speaking via Zoom at the opening ceremony, LIPO Deputy Director General for Industrial Property, Hon. Jamus P. Bannah, said the initiative is intended to help MSMEs recognize the value of their intellectual property and use it as a tool for business growth and competitiveness.

“Many Liberian businesses possess valuable intellectual assets but often do not recognize them as business resources that can be protected and commercialized,” Hon. Bannah said. “Through this clinic, we are helping entrepreneurs understand that their brands, product names, innovations, packaging and unique business practices have value and can contribute to business growth when properly managed.”

According to Hon. Bannah, the initiative reflects LIPO’s broader commitment to ensuring that intellectual property contributes directly to national economic development by supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise growth.

She further emphasized that the partnership with UNIDO allows participating businesses to receive both intellectual property and business management support under a single program. This combined approach, she noted, is important because MSMEs need more than awareness of intellectual property rights; they also need the practical business skills required to turn those assets into market value.

Delivering opening remarks on behalf of UNIDO GROW-2, Mr. Dave Asa Newton said the training aligns strongly with UNIDO’s support to MSME development, agribusiness competitiveness and private sector growth in Liberia.

“This training speaks directly to the work of UNIDO GROW-2 in helping Liberian MSMEs move from informal and “side-hustle” operations to structured, competitive and market-ready enterprises,” Mr. Newton said. “For many small businesses, growth is not limited only by the quality of their products. It is also affected by weak records, limited branding, poor financial systems, low levels of formalization and limited understanding of the value of intellectual property.”

He added that the partnership with LIPO provides an opportunity to connect intellectual property management with practical business development support and sustain the project’s signature MSMEs Clinics intervention.

“Through this collaboration, entrepreneurs learn how to protect what they create, strengthen how they operate and position themselves for better market, finance and investment opportunities,” he said. “For agribusinesses and MSMEs, a product name, logo, packaging design, recipe, innovation or processing method can become a strong business asset when properly identified, protected and managed.”

Mr. Newton further encouraged participants to treat the training as a practical opportunity to improve their businesses, not only as a classroom exercise. He urged them to actively participate, ask questions and use the sessions to review how their businesses are registered, branded, costed, documented and positioned for growth.

The Business and Intellectual Property Management Clinic is expected to contribute to improved awareness of intellectual property rights, increased filing for IP registration, stronger business planning, better financial management and improved market positioning among participating MSMEs.

The organizers noted that the training comes at a critical time when Liberia is seeking to strengthen domestic production, promote value addition and support private sector-led economic transformation. By equipping MSMEs with both business and intellectual property management skills, the initiative is expected to help enterprises become more formal, competitive, credible and prepared for growth.

At the end of the training, participating MSMEs are expected to have a stronger understanding of how to identify and protect their intellectual property assets, improve their business systems and develop practical enterprise strategies that integrate intellectual property as a driver of competitiveness and long-term growth.

Issued by:
Robin Dopoe
Communication and Outreach Officer
Liberia Intellectual Property Office

For more information, please contact:
LIPO Media Department
Email: dopoejr@gmail.com