Promote:
Invest in Libya
A short guide for companies expanding into Libya: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Libya at a glance
PopulationEstimate
7.46 million
Population was 7,458,555 in 2025, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, Libya population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDPEstimate
US$48.1 billion
GDP was US$48.1 billion in 2025 in current dollars, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, Libya GDP, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per personEstimate
US$6,449
GDP per person was US$6,449 in 2025 in current dollars, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, Libya GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growthEstimate
13.4%
Real GDP growth was 13.4 percent in 2025, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, Libya real GDP growth, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
16.6%
Consumer prices rose 16.6 percent over twelve months to September 2026, on the statistics office's index published by the central bank.
Source: Central Bank of Libya, price index, September 2026 (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$827.6 million
Foreign direct investment inflows were US$827.6 million in 2025, per UNCTADstat.
Source: UNCTADstat, foreign direct investment inflows, Libya, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the Libyan dinar.
Source: Central Bank of Libya, exchange rate policy page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
The economy ministry's affiliates page carries the PIB logo, linked to the board's own site.
Source: Libya economy ministry, affiliated bodies page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
The investment law tasks its administrative authority with an integrated window service for license applications and approvals.
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
Article 8 leaves the areas closed to investors, reserved to Libyans or open only with Libyan partners to the law's executive regulation.
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
Law No. 9 of 2000 regulates transit trade and free zones; the Musaid Free Zone rests on its own 2015 resolution, and no official list or count is published.
Source: Musaid Free Zone, statute, 2017 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2017
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Libya
- Choose the legal form (branch, representative office or joint company) and submit the documents to the economy ministry.Ministry of Economy and TradeA representative office must hold at least 150,000 dinarsOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Libya economy ministry, representative office documents (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Apply for permission to set up the investment project; the law has one authority issue all licenses and approvals, by a decision of the minister.Privatization and Investment BoardOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
- Register with the tax authority and keep a certificate of tax paid, which the ministry asks for when a branch or office is licensed.Libyan Tax AuthorityOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Libya economy ministry, foreign company license documents (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Open a dinar or foreign-currency account in a bank operating in Libya, and fund the account as the ministry requires for the chosen form.Central Bank of LibyaA representative office must hold at least 150,000 dinars in the accountOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Libya economy ministry, representative office documents (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 3 more set-up steps
- Arrange staffing: the law lets a project recruit foreign staff where Libyan staff are not available and gives residence visas for the project period.Privatization and Investment BoardOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
- Rent the property for the project: the law lets an investor rent public or private property on the conditions in its executive regulation.Privatization and Investment BoardOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
- Transfer distributable annual net profits abroad, and use the central bank official rate for dinar conversions.Central Bank of LibyaOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with PIB and Libyan Customs. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
- Get advice
Investment promotion authority
PIB
Privatization and Investment Board
Is the investment body the economy ministry lists among its affiliates; the investment law gives its licensing authority the task of receiving applications and issuing approvals.
Visit PIB (opens in a new tab)Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of January 28, 2010
- Get advice
Free zone operator
Misrata Free Zone
Runs the free zone at the port of Misrata and publishes three steps for starting a company there.
Visit Misrata Free Zone (opens in a new tab)Source: Misrata Free Zone, home page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Get advice
Free zone operator
Musaid Free Zone
Is the free zone created by a 2015 Council of Ministers decision; its presentation lists a seaport, an airport and a customs center.
Visit Musaid Free Zone (opens in a new tab)Source: Musaid Free Zone, English presentation (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs authority
Libyan Customs
Libyan Customs Authority
Is the customs body the finance ministry lists among its affiliated bodies.
Visit Libyan Customs (opens in a new tab)Source: Libya finance ministry, affiliated bodies page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
Tax authority
Tax Authority
Libyan Tax Authority
Is the tax body the finance ministry lists among its affiliated bodies.
Visit Tax Authority (opens in a new tab)Source: Libya finance ministry, affiliated bodies page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more organization
Finance ministry
Finance Ministry
Ministry of Finance
Publishes the list of laws on customs, income tax and commercial activity.
Visit Finance Ministry (opens in a new tab)Source: Libya finance ministry, legislation page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
Tripoli Chamber
Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
Issues Arab, Tunisian and foreign certificates of origin and registers members, per its own pages.
Visit Tripoli Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Tripoli chamber, home page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
Misrata Chamber
Misrata Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
Is the chamber for businesses in Misrata and lists the commercial activity law and the cabinet regulation on chambers.
Visit Misrata Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Misrata chamber, home page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Currency and settlement
The central bank cut the dinar's value by 13.3 percent in April 2025 and 14.7 percent in January 2026; consumer prices rose 16.6 percent in the year to September 2026.
What to do: Agree the currency and the payment date in each contract, and check the central bank rate before you price.
Sources: Central Bank of Libya, exchange rate policy page (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab); Central Bank of Libya, price index, September 2026 (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Reserved sectors
The investment law leaves closed, reserved and partnership-only sectors to its executive regulation, and Article 27 excludes oil and gas projects from the law.
What to do: Ask the investment body for the current sector list in writing before you decide ownership.
Source: WIPO Lex, Libya investment promotion law, 2010 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Oil dependence
Hydrocarbons were 93 percent of exports and 65 percent of GDP in 2024, and a central bank governance crisis disrupted oil output that year, per the World Bank.
What to do: Prepare cash flow for supply and payment interruptions linked to oil disruptions.
Source: World Bank, Libya country overview, read October 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Institutional fragmentation
The World Bank names institutional fragmentation and contested oil wealth management as structural constraints, and notes that no unified 2025 budget was passed.
What to do: Confirm which authority issues each license and approval, and keep written confirmation.
Source: World Bank, Libya country overview, read October 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more
Electricity
The World Bank says service delivery is weak in electricity, water, health and education, with stark regional differences.
What to do: Ask about the power supply history of any site you consider, and arrange backup supply.
Source: World Bank, Libya country overview, read October 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Libya with other countriesSet Libya beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Libya project.
Use Promote:Global to explore markets, understand requirements and organize your next steps.
Promote:Libya is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 31, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.