African business leaders are calling for stronger support for local enterprises, increased cross-border investment, and the removal of trade barriers to ensure regional economic integration delivers jobs and business opportunities across the continent.

Speaking at the Seventh Prosperity Africa Conference in Monrovia on October 20, the leaders stressed that trade agreements and investment commitments must translate into practical benefits for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises in countries such as Liberia.

President of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, O. Natty B. Davis II, said Liberia must build an economy in which Liberian-owned businesses can participate more meaningfully in major investments, production, and regional trade.

“Our responsibility during this conference is to help make those possibilities real,” Davis said, emphasizing the need to connect local businesses with procurement opportunities, financing, and larger commercial partners.

He said supplier development, access to finance, and effective implementation of local content policies are critical to helping Liberian enterprises compete for contracts and benefit from investments entering the country.

Davis also called for greater efforts to translate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) into practical business opportunities, encouraging visiting investors to establish partnerships with Liberian entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Pan-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kebour Ghenna, warned that opening African markets without strengthening local businesses could leave smaller economies struggling to compete.

“Opening a market is not the same as creating the capacity to compete in it,” Ghenna said, citing limited access to credit, unreliable electricity, inadequate infrastructure, and difficulties meeting international standards as some of the challenges confronting Liberian businesses.

He argued that removing tariffs alone would not resolve these problems, urging governments, financial institutions, and major companies to invest in infrastructure, production, regional supply chains, and the transfer of skills and technology.

Ghenna also challenged chambers of commerce to move beyond conferences and networking to help businesses secure buyers, financing, contracts, and actual trade transactions.

He said the success of regional integration should be measured by tangible results, including increased investment, stronger businesses, and job creation.

Speaking on behalf of the President of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, the federation’s Third Vice-President, Mamadou Baldé, similarly called for the removal of barriers to cross-border trade and improved infrastructure and connectivity across West Africa.

Baldé emphasized the need to accelerate implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the AfCFTA, urging governments, chambers of commerce, and development partners to turn policy commitments into investment projects and measurable economic results.

He reaffirmed the private sector’s commitment to regional economic integration and sustainable investment, highlighting the importance of strengthening value chains, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and expanding trade among African countries.

The three business leaders underscored the importance of closer cooperation between governments and the private sector to ensure African businesses are better positioned to benefit from the continent’s growing trade opportunities.

Their calls come as Liberia seeks to attract investment and expand private-sector participation in economic growth, with the conference providing a platform for business leaders and investors to explore partnerships and strengthen commercial ties across Africa.