Monrovia, Liberia | October 20, 2026:
The Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with technical assistance from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), has successfully concluded the National Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS), 2026–2031. The exercise marks a significant milestone in Liberia’s efforts to establish a coordinated national framework for intellectual property protection, innovation, creativity, and economic development.
Held from October 15–16, 2026, in Monrovia, the two-day workshop brought together representatives of government ministries and agencies, the private sector, academia, research institutions, creative industries, and civil society to review the draft policy and strategy, assess its proposed strategic objectives, and provide recommendations to strengthen its implementation framework.
The validation process provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine key challenges affecting Liberia’s intellectual property ecosystem, including institutional capacity constraints, gaps in coordination, inadequate infrastructure, limited public awareness, and barriers to accessing intellectual property services. Participants also reviewed proposed interventions aimed at strengthening intellectual property administration, enforcement, commercialization, and institutional cooperation.
The National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy establishes three broad strategic priorities:
- Strengthening the legal, institutional, and technological framework for intellectual property administration;
- Developing human capital and institutional capacity across the intellectual property value chain; and
- Enhancing access to, utilization, and commercialization of intellectual property assets.
The framework further addresses innovation and technology transfer, research commercialization, protection of traditional knowledge, geographical indications, and opportunities for women, youth, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals to benefit from intellectual property protection. Aligned with the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, the proposed strategy seeks to position intellectual property as a catalyst for economic diversification, enterprise development, job creation, and national competitiveness. It also emphasizes the importance of modernizing intellectual property administration, strengthening public education, and expanding access to intellectual property services beyond Monrovia.
Speaking during the validation exercise, the Director General of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office, Hon. Garmai Koboi, highlighted the extensive technical assessments and stakeholder consultations that informed the development of the policy and strategy, including the National Intellectual Property Audit conducted between October and December 2025.
Hon. Koboi emphasized that the validation process was essential to ensuring that the proposed policy framework responds to Liberia’s development priorities and addresses the practical needs of creators, innovators, businesses, research institutions, and other stakeholders. She further underscored the importance of sustained institutional collaboration and national ownership in translating the strategy’s objectives into measurable outcomes.
Representing the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO’s representative Mr. Emmanuel Rugomboka commended the active participation and contributions of national stakeholders, noting that their recommendations would help strengthen the relevance, effectiveness, and national ownership of the proposed policy framework.
Mr. Rugomboka reaffirmed WIPO’s readiness to continue supporting Liberia’s intellectual property development priorities, consistent with the country’s needs and available resources.
As part of the validation process, stakeholders also examined the draft strategy’s accompanying implementation and monitoring and evaluation frameworks, with particular attention to institutional responsibilities, coordination arrangements, implementation priorities, and mechanisms for assessing progress. Following the workshop, the observations and recommendations received from stakeholders will inform the finalization of the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy and its accompanying implementation instruments before submission through the appropriate government approval processes.
Upon approval and official launch, the NIPPS will provide a comprehensive national framework for strengthening Liberia’s intellectual property system, promoting innovation and creativity, supporting the commercialization of intellectual property assets, and enhancing their contribution to inclusive and sustainable economic development.
Issued by:
Robin Dopoe
Communication and Outreach Officer
Liberia Intellectual Property Office
For more information, please contact:
LIPO Media Department
Email: dopoejr@gmail.com
