Liberian President Joseph Nyumah Boakai Highlights Liberia’s Progression During 124th National Black Business Conference

PR Newswire reports that close to 3,000 attendees at the National Business League’s 124th National Black Business Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, heard encouraging words from keynote speaker and Liberian President Joseph Nyumah Boakai. 

The historic event on Sept. 3, ​​in collaboration with the National Alliance for Black Business and co-founders, the National Black Chamber of Commerce and the World Conference of Mayors, focuses on heightening economic partnerships and collaborative efforts between Black American businesses and African countries. 

With a particular emphasis on Liberia, Boakai’s appearance added significant value by identifying the direct line back to the Business League’s founder, Booker T. Washington, who played a vital role in Liberia’s history. When the African nation was threatened with being acquired by European colonial forces in 1907, Liberia leaned on the Tuskegee University founder to intervene. Washington was able to stop foreign entities, secure Liberia’s survival and create the foundation for Pan-Africanist relations. 

Boakai highlighted how collaboration with Liberia, the Pan-African community and the private U.S. sector will heighten economic opportunity. He also called for stronger economic ties to help expand opportunities for Black businesses globally. According to the Liberian Observer, the president and CEO of the National Business League, Dr. Kenneth Harris, celebrated the success of the conference, labeling it as coming full circle.  “This occasion is important because 40 years ago, the World Conference of Mayors hosted its first conference in Monrovia, Liberia. And now it’s coming full circle,” Harris said. 

“So, should I say, since we went home first, now Liberia is coming to the United States to continue the work that was started 40 years ago, except now, we are focused on black businesses?” 

As the Liberian president boosted the nation as having some of the “best opportunities for investors, including black businesses represented at this conference,” he announced the creation of the ARREST Agenda, which focuses on the investment and development in agriculture, roads and infrastructure, as well as education, health and sanitation, and tourism. “While these are not exhaustive of the range of critical interventions to spur economic growth, we believe they drive such growth and development,” Boakai said. 

“Liberia’s fertile land and favorable climate offer vast opportunities for agricultural investments, particularly in rice production.” 

He also emphasized energy, as Liberia is seeking investments in solar, hydro, and biomass energy projects to meet its growing needs. The president says the country’s installed capacity stands at close to 126 megawatts, while the demand is near over 500 megawatts.

“This leaves a significant gap between supply and demand, which highlights the urgent need for investment in expanding renewable energy sources to ensure that more Liberians have reliable access to electricity and to support industry, including manufacturing, for economic growth,” he said.  

With major sponsors including Amazon, Comerica Bank, and Prosper Africa, the conference hosted a diverse audience, including government officials, business leaders, and representatives from 32 Pan-African countries. The 2025 conference is scheduled for August 20-23 at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel in downtown Atlanta.