Liberia Bans Exports of Unprocessed Natural Rubber to Boost Domestic Manufacturing
The Government of Liberia has officially banned the export of unprocessed natural rubber as part of a broader strategy to expand domestic manufacturing and increase value creation within the country. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai signed Executive Order No. 166, which came into effect on 1 July 2026. The measure is intended to encourage local processing, create industrial jobs, and reduce Liberia's dependence on exporting raw materials.
The export ban applies to all forms of unprocessed natural rubber, including natural latex, cup lump, coagulum, tree lace, bark scrap, and ground scrap. However, processed rubber products such as Technically Specified Rubber (TSR), Ribbed Smoked Sheets (RSS), latex concentrate, and other internationally recognised rubber products remain eligible for export.
According to the Liberian government, the new policy is designed to ensure that a larger share of the country's natural rubber production is processed domestically before reaching international markets. Officials expect the initiative to attract investment in rubber processing facilities, support the development of downstream industries, and generate new employment opportunities across the manufacturing sector.
The government also plans to introduce complementary measures, including fiscal incentives, financing programmes, and infrastructure investments, to support companies establishing rubber-processing operations in Liberia. These initiatives are expected to encourage the production of tyres, industrial rubber goods, footwear, gloves, adhesives, and other value-added rubber products.
The decision could have significant implications for the global tyre industry. Liberia is one of Africa's leading producers of natural rubber and is home to the world's largest contiguous rubber plantation, operated by Firestone. Increasing domestic processing capacity may gradually reshape regional supply chains and encourage international manufacturers to consider new investments in Liberia's growing rubber industry.
Executive Order No. 166 also establishes strict enforcement measures. Companies attempting to export prohibited raw rubber products may face confiscation of shipments, substantial financial penalties, and the suspension or revocation of export licences. Several government agencies have been tasked with overseeing compliance and enforcing the new regulations.
With this move, Liberia is pursuing a long-term industrial strategy aimed at transforming the country from a raw-material exporter into a regional manufacturing hub for higher-value rubber products. For tyre manufacturers, rubber processors, and supply-chain stakeholders, the policy marks an important development that could influence future sourcing strategies and investment decisions across the global rubber industry.
Source: Executive Mansion of the Republic of Liberia – President Boakai Issues Executive Order No. 166 Banning Export of Unprocessed Natural Rubber to Boost Local Manufacturing (26 June 2026).