Ministry of Economy and Trade

What Ministry of Economy and Trade does

The Ministry of Economy and Trade (وزارة الاقتصاد والتجارة) is the Libyan government ministry responsible for economic policy, trade regulation, industrial development, and consumer protection, headquartered in Tripoli and operating under the Government of National Accord/Government of National Unity. It serves Libyan citizens (consumer protection, trademark registration), business entities (commercial licensing, foreign company branches, trade agency registration), and foreign investors (investment facilitation, free zones). Its core services include trademark registration, commercial registry operations, business licensing for foreign companies and joint ventures, import/export procedures, and oversight of public-sector industrial enterprises.

The ministry operates a portfolio of electronic government platforms hosted at economy.gov.ly and eidc.gov.ly covering import/export management, commercial registry, trade agencies, consumer cooperatives, and public companies. It also publishes daily commodity and exchange rate information, an interactive investment map, bilateral agreements repository, and statistical reports. It oversees wholly-owned subsidiaries including the Libyan Iron and Steel Company (Misrata), Libya Holding Company for Industry, the Industrial Development Bank, the Investment and Real Estate Development Company, the Export Development Center, and the Industrial Information and Documentation Center, plus regional entities such as the Misrata Free Zone, Al-Ahliya Cement Company (Zliten, 4.3 million tons annual capacity), and the Trucks and Buses Company joint venture with Iveco (Libya 75% / Iveco 25%).

As a government entity, it does not operate on a commercial revenue model. Its distribution model combines a central headquarters, a national network of local commercial registry offices, and municipal economic monitoring offices. Notable international partnerships include the Islamic Development Bank (Libya is its second-largest partner after Saudi Arabia), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (MOU signed 2019-04-06 for SME and PPP development), and bilateral trade engagement with the UK, France, and Turkey. Ministerial leadership has transitioned multiple times, with Dr. Ali Al-Aisawi serving during the 2019 Government of National Accord period and Mohammed Al-Hweij assuming the role in 2022 under the Government of National Unity.

Name

Ministry of Economy and Trade

Legal name

Ministry of Economy and Trade

Website

https://economy.gov.ly

Company type

Public

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Ministry of Economy and Trade (Libya) is a Tripoli-based government ministry that regulates trade, commerce, industry, and consumer protection, serving Libyan citizens, local and foreign businesses, and foreign investors through licensing, registration, and e-government services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Economic Regulation and Trade Administration

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Administration of General Economic Programs (92611), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAL

Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAHAFAN

Trade, Export Controls & Customs Compliance

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Risk, Compliance & Governance Advisory

SECONDARYBPAIABAO

State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

Keywords

• Trade regulation services
• Commercial registry services
• Consumer protection services
• Industrial development oversight
• Import export licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tripoli

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Economy and Trade is the Libyan government ministry responsible for economic policy, trade regulation, industrial development, and consumer protection. It delivers a portfolio of regulatory and administrative services including trademark registration, commercial registry management, business licensing for foreign companies, import/export facilitation, and consumer protection. The ministry operates several e-government electronic platforms (منظومات) for trade agencies, commercial registry, public companies, consumer cooperatives, and import/export procedures.

Product overview

Ministry of Economy and Trade is a Libyan government ministry providing a portfolio of regulatory, administrative, and digital services. The core offerings include trademark registration, commercial registry management, consumer protection services, business services for foreign companies, and import/export facilitation. The ministry operates several electronic platforms (منظومات) for e-government services including the Import/Export System, Commercial Registry System, Trade Agencies System, Consumer Cooperatives System, and Public Companies System. Additional services include daily commodity pricing, investment mapping, trade agreements, statistical reports, and industrial development management. The ministry's digital services are accessible through the domain economy.gov.ly and associated systems hosted at eidc.gov.ly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trademark Registration Service (تسجيل العلامة التجارية) Government service for registering and managing commercial trademarks in Libya, including filing procedures, FAQ, product/service classification, ownership transfers, and trademark law compliance.
• Commercial Registry Service (السجل التجاري) Service for commercial registry operations including company establishment, renewal, and modification for shareholding companies and branches of foreign companies, operated through both local offices and an electronic system.
• Consumer Protection Services (خدمات المستهلك) Consumer protection services including awareness programs, eight consumer rights, food standards oversight (Codex Alimentarius), and consumer protection files.
• Business Services for Foreign Companies (خدمات الشركات) Services for companies including opening representation offices for foreign companies, opening branches of foreign companies, foreign company licenses, trade agencies, and joint ventures.
• Import/Export Services (التصدير والاستيراد) Services related to import and export operations and procedures, including management of the electronic import/export platform for documentation.
• Import/Export Electronic System (منظومة الاستيراد والتصدير) E-government platform for managing import/export documentation and procedures electronically, accessible at me.eidc.gov.ly.
• Commercial Registry Electronic System (منظومة السجل التجاري) Electronic system for commercial registry operations, accessible at cr.economy.gov.ly.
• Trade Agencies Electronic System (منظومة الوكالات التجارية) Electronic platform for managing trade agency registrations and documentation, accessible at agency.eidc.gov.ly.
• Public Companies Electronic System (منظومة الشركات العامة) Electronic platform for managing public companies under ministry supervision, accessible at pc.eidc.gov.ly.
• Consumer Cooperatives Electronic System (منظومة الجمعيات الإستهلاكية) Electronic system for managing consumer cooperatives, accessible at fs.eidc.gov.ly.
• Libyan Trade Network (شبكة التجارة الليبية)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, regional, core and minor.

• Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2019Libya is the second-largest partner of the Islamic Development Bank after Saudi Arabia. The bank provides consultation, technical support, and development financing for economic reforms and private sector development in Libya.
• Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2019ICD, under the Islamic Development Bank, signed an MOU with the ministry for cooperation on economic programs including establishing an economic system for SMEs, public-private partnerships, and industrial zones development.
• Misrata Free ZoneregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ministry oversees the Misrata Free Zone, which serves as a major economic hub and source of foreign currency. The zone has development plans including expansion to Al-Uqla location.
• Libyan Iron and Steel CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ministry oversees the Libyan Iron and Steel Company in Misrata, a major industrial enterprise that contributes significantly to national revenue through foreign currency earnings.
• Al-Ahliya Cement Company (Zliten)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ministry oversees this cement company which expanded production to 4.3 million tons annually with a new production line opened in 2019.
• Trucks and Buses Company (Iveco Partnership)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerA joint venture between the Libyan state (75%) and Italian company Iveco (25%) for manufacturing trucks and buses. The ministry oversees this public-private partnership.
• Foreign Investor Consortium (Metro Project)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForeign investors presented proposals for infrastructure projects including a Tripoli metro without requiring sovereign guarantees or government spending, potentially creating 40,000 direct jobs and training 12,000 trainees.
• Government of the United KingdomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK trade envoy expressed interest in Libya's economic revival and reconstruction, particularly free zones in Benghazi and Sirte.
• Government of FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench Ambassador expressed interest in returning French companies to Libya and facilitating trade between the two countries.
• Government of TurkeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTurkish Trade Minister discussed resumption of Turkish companies in Libya and revival of partnership and free trade agreements.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Tunisia): National ministry with an analogous portfolio covering commercial registry, foreign company representation, trade agreements, and industrial promotion — a regional peer with shared Maghreb economic-policy orientation.
• Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply (Jordan): Jordanian ministry with portfolio of industry, trade, and supply regulation including commercial registry and consumer protection. Comparable mid-size mandate and emerging-market operating context.
• Ministry of Trade and Industry (Sudan): Sudanese peer ministry handling trade, industry, and commercial regulation in a fellow conflict-affected Arab economy with similar institutional reconstruction challenges.
• Ministry of Trade (Algeria): Algerian counterpart ministry handling commercial activity, foreign trade, and industry regulation — a regional peer sharing Maghreb trade dynamics and similar hydrocarbon-economy context.
• Ministry of Economy and Finance (Morocco): Moroccan ministry with combined economic and commercial policy mandate comparable to Libya's structure, including investment promotion and trade-agreement management.
• Ministry of Trade and Industry (Egypt): Direct counterpart ministry responsible for trade policy, industrial development, and commercial regulation in a fellow North African Arab state. Most directly comparable given overlapping mandate on trademarks, commercial registry, and import/export licensing.
• Ministry of Economy and Trade (Lebanon): Lebanese ministry with matching name and mandate (economy and trade). Direct functional peer covering commercial registry, consumer protection, and trade policy.
• Ministry of Commerce (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Arabia's commerce ministry oversees commercial registration, franchise/agency licensing, consumer protection, and e-commerce regulation, making it functionally analogous at larger scale.
• Ministry of Trade (Iraq): Iraqi trade ministry responsible for commercial registration, trade-agency oversight, and consumer protection — peer country sharing post-conflict reconstruction dynamics with Libya.

Broad incumbents

• Ministry of Economy (UAE): UAE federal entity responsible for economic policy, trade, and investment promotion. Strong functional overlap with Libya's ministry in areas of foreign investment attraction and trade-agreement negotiation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/economy.gov.ly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Economy and Trade