According to research findings released by Afrobarometer on May 30, 2025, 50% of Liberians say the country is going in the right direction and the other 50% say it is not.
The data, gathered in the second half of 2024, shows that Liberians are sharply divided on the state of the nation and their personal circumstances, but many still believe better days are ahead.
The survey, conducted by the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG) on behalf of Afrobarometer, found a significant increase in optimism since the last round of research in 2022.
At that time, only one in four citizens (25%) felt the country was on the right path. That figure has now doubled.
Despite this shift in perception, the overall picture remains mixed. When it comes to the economy, 45% of respondents described conditions as “fairly good” or “very good,” while 48% rated them as “fairly bad” or “very bad.”
Citizens Caught in the Middle
Personal living conditions mirror the national divide. Exactly 46% of citizens said their conditions were good, and the same percentage said they were bad.
This deadlock reveals a population evenly split between progress and frustration.
Meanwhile, about 41% of Liberians reported improved personal living conditions over the past year, while 33% said national economic conditions were better than a year ago.
Twenty-five percent said they were worse off, while the remaining portion reported no significant change.
Optimism on the Rise
Encouragingly, a majority of respondents, 61%, expressed hope that the national economy will improve over the next 12 months.
This signals a resilient sense of faith in Liberia’s potential, despite ongoing economic strain and political uncertainty.
This optimism may stem from changing leadership dynamics, improved service delivery in some sectors, or broader regional economic momentum.
How the Study Was Conducted
The Afrobarometer survey was conducted between July 30 and August 21, 2024, involving 1,200 adult Liberians across all regions.
Interviews were carried out face-to-face, in local languages, to ensure inclusive participation.
The results come with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points, offering reliable insights into national sentiment.
Afrobarometer, a non-partisan pan-African research network, has conducted public opinion surveys in more than 40 countries since 1999.
This is the seventh round of data collection in Liberia, with previous rounds conducted in 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022.
The Road Ahead
As Liberia moves deeper into 2025, this 50-50 split reveals a nation standing at a crossroads, with half its citizens encouraged by progress and the other half deeply skeptical.
However, the data also show a glimmer of unity in expectation, with most Liberians hopeful that tomorrow will be better than today.
Whether that hope materializes may depend on policy outcomes, governance transparency, and the government’s ability to deliver on promises. For now, Liberians remain watchful—but not without hope.
