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Liberia Rapid e-Trade Readiness Assessment Summary

Core Content

The Liberia Rapid e-Trade Readiness Assessment is part of the eTrade for all initiative by UNCTAD, aimed at enhancing the capacity of developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to engage in and benefit from e-commerce. The report outlines the current state of e-commerce readiness in Liberia, identifies key challenges and opportunities, and provides strategic recommendations to foster growth in the digital economy.

Main Findings

1. E-Commerce Readiness Assessment and Strategy Formulation

• E-commerce awareness is growing among policymakers and the private sector, but a common vision is still lacking.
• Fragmented knowledge exists about e-commerce within the public sector.
• There is no specific e-commerce strategy; the ongoing revision of the National Telecommunication Policy and Strategy includes e-commerce in general terms only.
• E-commerce firms have participated in policy discussions, but there is no dedicated coordination group for e-commerce.

2. ICT Infrastructure and Services

• Internet reliability, affordability, speed, and coverage are weak outside Monrovia.
• Mobile broadband (20%) is more prevalent than fixed-line broadband (1%).
• The ACE submarine cable has not yielded expected benefits due to lack of last-mile connectivity.
• Broadband prices are expected to decrease with increased operator competition.

3. Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation

• Road infrastructure outside Monrovia is severely underdeveloped.
• Physical addressing is weak, even in the capital, causing challenges in order fulfillment.
• Customs handling remains a challenge, although technical assistance has improved the situation.
• Postal services face capacity constraints, affecting agency banking and last-mile delivery.

4. Access to Financing

• High cost of credit and non-performing loans (NPLs) hinder private sector growth.
• Commercial banks lack tailored lending products for MSMEs and e-commerce.
• Venture capital and other funding sources have not been successful thus far in Liberia.

5. Payment Solutions

• Cash on Delivery (COD) is the primary payment method.
• Mobile money is gaining traction and is expected to be a key driver for e-commerce growth.
• Interoperability between banks is improving, but no connection exists between mobile wallets and banking accounts.
• Government initiatives are promoting online payment solutions for services.

6. Legal and Regulatory Framework

• E-commerce regulations lag behind regional and global standards.
• Outdated e-transactions law, no consumer/data protection legislation, and no cybercrime laws create a weak legal basis for e-commerce.
• E-payments for e-government services are an area of progress.

7. Skills Development for E-Commerce

• Essential e-commerce skills such as website development, API interfacing, and content management are largely missing.
• Feedback loops between the public sector, private training schools, and academia are weak, leading to skills mismatch.
• Awareness of e-commerce is growing, but slowly within the public sector.

Key Recommendations

1. E-Commerce Readiness Assessment and Strategy Formulation

• Establish a national steering committee to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue on ICT and e-commerce.
• Develop a specific e-commerce strategy for the medium-term to guide future growth.

2. ICT Infrastructure and Services

• Complete the high-speed metro fiber ring in Monrovia under a competitive environment involving ISPs.
• Improve mobile coverage and banking in all 15 counties as a medium-term goal.
• Strengthen the national fibre-optic backbone as a long-term goal.
• Implement the Chief Information Officer (CIO) regime to link IT officials across public sector entities.
• Ensure funding for the National Universal Access Program Strategy (NUAPS).

3. Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation

• Improve physical addressing in Monrovia and capabilities of postal services.
• Explore rationalization of the postal department.
• Adopt innovative models like what3words for last-mile delivery.
• Ratify the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and ensure continued support from the NTFC.

4. Access to Financing

• Expand the network of financial institutions in rural areas.
• Develop tailored lending solutions for e-commerce businesses.
• Improve awareness among loan seekers about existing financial instruments.
• Enhance coordination between lenders, regulatory agencies, and e-commerce firms.
• Help e-commerce firms demonstrate creditworthiness and assist banks in developing assessment criteria.

5. Payment Solutions

• Operationalize agency banking to improve liquidity in rural areas.
• Allow mobile operators and banks to connect mobile wallets to banking accounts.
• Connect mobile-money services to international remittance networks.
• Leverage the CBL's Digital Financial Services Working Group to enhance payment solutions and collaboration within the payments ecosystem.

6. Legal and Regulatory Framework

• Revise e-transactions law and develop new laws on consumer protection, data privacy, and cybercrime.
• Ensure enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
• Resolve regulatory uncertainty at the LTA and CBL regarding mobile banking.
• Ensure proper governance of the Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL).

7. Skills Development for E-Commerce

• Develop strong feedback loops between the public sector, academia, and private sector.
• Focus on certificate-level courses that can be adapted to e-commerce needs.
• Assist skills providers with teacher training and curriculum upgrading.
• Increase ICT sensitization for primary and secondary school students.
• Improve awareness of e-commerce issues in the public sector.
• Focus on developing a supply chain of IT service providers.

Conclusion

Liberia is at a critical juncture in its development, with e-commerce emerging as a potential driver of economic and socioeconomic growth. However, multidimensional support is needed to realize this potential. The assessment highlights the importance of regulatory reform, infrastructure development, financial inclusion, and skills development. The government must continue to support and coordinate these efforts to build a robust, safe, and business-friendly e-commerce ecosystem.

The Way Forward: Action Matrix

The report provides an action matrix to guide policy reforms and implementation efforts in the seven key e-commerce areas. This matrix outlines specific actions, responsible entities, and timeframes for addressing the challenges identified.

Annexes

• Annex I: Liberia Country Profile on eTradeForAll.org
• Annex II: Bibliography and Websites Used

Key Statistics

• Internet access: 6% of the population in the last three months.
• Mobile phone penetration: 83%.
• Mobile broadband penetration: 20%.
• Fixed-line broadband penetration: 1%.
• e-commerce readiness: Ranked 124 out of 137 economies in the 2017 UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index.
• Networked Readiness Index: Ranked 130 out of 139 economies in 2016.
• ICT Development Index: Ranked 161 out of 175 economies in 2017.

Summary

The Liberia Rapid e-Trade Readiness Assessment provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of e-commerce readiness in the country. It identifies key challenges in ICT infrastructure, trade logistics, access to financing, payment solutions, legal frameworks, and skills development. The report emphasizes the need for policy coordination, infrastructure investment, financial inclusion, and capacity building to support the growth of e-commerce. With continued support from the government, private sector, and international partners, Liberia has the potential to leverage e-commerce for development and peacebuilding.