MONROVIA, Liberia – The Africa Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter, in partnership with the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), convened a landmark National Conference on Women’s Financial Inclusion from July 29–30, 2026 at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, outside Monrovia, bringing together key stakeholders to address barriers preventing women from fully participating in Liberia’s financial system.
By Patience M. Jones
Being held under the theme:, “Catalyzing Access. Unlocking Enterprise. Advancing Liberia,” the two-day conference assemble more than 200 participants, including women entrepreneurs, policymakers, financial institutions, regulators, development partners, private sector leaders, investors, and business associations to explore practical strategies aimed at increasing women’s access to finance and strengthening their role in Liberia’s economic development.
The initiative is supported through a catalytic grant from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and forms part of AWLN Liberia’s broader commitment to advancing women’s socioeconomic empowerment through its Financial Inclusion pillar.
Organizers say the conference comes at a critical time as women continue to play a central role in Liberia’s economy through agriculture, trade, manufacturing, services, and the creative industry, despite facing significant challenges in accessing formal financial services.
According to the Central Bank of Liberia’s 2025 Report, women’s access to credit has increased to 25 percent, marking significant progress from no recorded female participation in formal credit transactions in 2024.
However, the report also highlights that access to financial services remains heavily concentrated in Monrovia, leaving many women in rural communities underserved.
The conference seeks to bridge this gap by creating a national platform where women entrepreneurs can directly engage banks, microfinance institutions, insurers, pension providers and regulatory agencies while learning practical steps toward financial inclusion and enterprise growth.
Participants will receive hands-on guidance on opening bank accounts, initiating loan applications, formalizing businesses, accessing insurance and pension services and preparing their enterprises to attract investment.
Several high-level panel discussions are also expected to examine major issues affecting women’s economic participation, including expanding access to credit, addressing land ownership and collateral constraints, increasing insurance and pension coverage, leveraging mobile money for business growth, and supporting women-led businesses to transition from the informal sector into investment-ready enterprises.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Ambassador Marjon Kamara, Chairperson of the Africa Women Leaders Network (AWLN) Liberia Chapter, described the event as a transformative milestone in Liberia’s efforts to empower women economically.
“This conference is about transforming access into opportunity. Liberian women have long demonstrated resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, yet many continue to face barriers in accessing finance and growing their businesses. Through this national conference, AWLN is bringing together the institutions, policymakers and development partners that can help remove those barriers and build a more inclusive financial ecosystem. We envision a Liberia where every woman, regardless of where she lives, has the opportunity to access credit, insurance, investment, and the financial tools needed to build sustainable enterprises and contribute meaningfully to national development,” Ambassador Kamara said.
Beyond policy discussions, the conference serves as a major networking platform, bringing together approximately 120 women entrepreneurs from across Liberia alongside more than 80 representatives from the financial sector, government institutions, development organizations, investors, chambers of commerce and business associations.
AWLN Liberia says the gathering represents more than a national conversation—it is a strategic effort to build a more inclusive financial ecosystem where Liberian women can access the financial resources, investment opportunities, insurance, pensions and business support needed to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The conference is expected to produce practical recommendations that will strengthen collaboration between government, financial institutions, development partners and the private sector in advancing women’s financial inclusion and expanding economic opportunities for women across Liberia.
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