Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Liberiaor should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
If you’re going to Liberia, don’t count on Amex. It’s much safer to have a Visa or Mastercard for payments and ATM use. I used my cards mostly in Monrovia for hotels and supermarkets, but even then, having cash in Liberian dollars was a must for most daily expenses.
In Liberia, Amex acceptance is almost non-existent. I mainly used Visa and Mastercard for transactions and cash withdrawals. Make sure to carry lots of cash for small vendors and local transport, as many only accept cash. ATMs at major banks like Liberian Bank for Development and Investment are your best bet.
Using Amex in Liberia was tough. Even big hotels and restaurants often preferred Visa or Mastercard, and ATMs rarely processed Amex withdrawals. I’d recommend against relying on Amex and instead carry a Visa or Mastercard with some cash. The Liberia Bank for Development and Investment has reliable ATMs for Visa/Mastercard.
Amex is rarely accepted in Liberia, even in Monrovia. Most businesses, banks like Ecobank Liberia, and ATMs prefer Visa and Mastercard. When I traveled there, I had to carry a backup Visa card and plenty of Liberian dollars cash for markets and taxis since card usage is limited overall.