Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to determine the contribution of grassroots (mostly informal) businesses to post-conflict, socio-economic development in Liberia.

Design/methodology/approach
– The research findings are based on quantitative data from a survey of 1,823 grassroots business owners from the central region of Liberia and qualitative data from 48 key informant interviews and 22 focus groups.

Findings
– Grassroots businesses ensured access to goods and services in remote towns and villages, a key component of post-conflict development. Although they were usually profitable and had high loan repayment rates, inadequate loan opportunities undercut their contributions to private sector growth and capacity development.

Originality/value
– This research points to the contribution of grassroots businesses to post-conflict social and private sector development, a relatively unexplored area of research in Liberia. The study reveals how grassroots businesses provide needed goods, services, and livelihoods in inaccessible parts of Liberia. This research can be used by government and non-governmental organization to contribute to improve the economic situation for grassroots businesses in Liberia.