By Jeremiah Gayflor
New Delhi, India — Liberia has stepped up its efforts to attract Indian investment, with the Executive Director of the National Investment Commission (NIC), Melvin Sheriff, leading a high-level engagement in India. The initiative is supported by the World Bank’s LIFT Project and receives technical collaboration from the Financial Times, marking a major step in Liberia’s strategy to showcase its expanding investment potential.
The outreach aims to position Liberia as an emerging hub for international investment, particularly in sectors where Indian expertise and capital can deliver transformative impact — such as agriculture, light manufacturing, energy, and logistics.
A highlight of the mission is Liberia’s engagement with StarAgri, a leading Indian agritech company founded in 2006 and headquartered in Mumbai. The company provides end-to-end agricultural value chain solutions, including scientific warehousing, procurement, trade facilitation, collateral management, and financing services. With operations spanning 19 Indian states and over 2,100 warehouses, StarAgri has already extended its footprint to several African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania.
During a meeting earlier today, Mr. Sheriff held discussions with Mr. Jayant Chatterjee, Business Head and Chief Operations Officer of StarAgri, to explore potential entry points for the company into the Liberian market. Mr. Chatterjee described the engagement as “highly significant,” emphasizing StarAgri’s growing interest in expanding across Africa and noting that Liberia’s strategic location offers a compelling opportunity for West African operations.
Mr. Vishnu Gupta, Head of Trade Finance and Business Operations at StarAgri, also expressed interest in holding an introductory meeting to further assess Liberia’s agribusiness landscape and the potential for collaboration.
“This initiative demonstrates Liberia’s strong commitment to creating an investor-friendly environment and attracting global partners,” said Sheriff, highlighting the country’s focus on promoting sectors that can drive economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
Over the next five days, the NIC delegation is scheduled to meet with representatives from 16 major Indian companies and business associations across multiple sectors, including agriculture, energy, light manufacturing, and logistics.
These engagements, supported by the World Bank LIFT Project and the Financial Times, reflect Liberia’s renewed push to position itself as a key investment destination for Indian enterprises — particularly in agriculture and technology-driven industries that promise to accelerate the country’s economic transformation.
