At the 21st African Power Utilities Association (APUA) Congress held in Cairo, Egypt, Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. Wilmot Paye, delivered a compelling address outlining the country’s bold vision to overhaul its energy sector and drive inclusive development through sustainable power solutions.
Speaking on behalf of President Joseph Boakai and the people of Liberia, Minister Paye extended gratitude to the Egyptian government and Dr. Mostafa Esmat, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, for hosting the summit.
He underscored the urgent need for African nations to reimagine their energy architecture to support long-term prosperity, industrialization, and urbanization.
Minister Paye painted a frank picture of Liberia’s energy challenges.
The country’s installed hydroelectric capacity stands at 88MW but drops to near zero during the dry season, which lasts for six months.
Meanwhile, thermal power capacity is only 38MW, and comes at a steep cost of US$0.33 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), more than double the regional average of US$0.14.
Electricity costs across Liberia remain inconsistent and often unaffordable.
Some regions pay as much as US$0.45 per kWh, while Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) charges US$0.22 per kWh, offering a subsidized social tariff of US$0.15 for vulnerable consumers.
These disparities highlight the need for systemic reforms and greater investment in affordable, reliable power.
Under the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), Liberia aims to expand electricity access from 33% to 75% by 2030.
This ambitious goal will be achieved through a mix of grid expansion, off-grid solutions, and regional power imports.
Liberia currently imports 80MW of electricity from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea via the Transco CLSG transmission network.
Though five substations have been built and energized, the country still lacks the infrastructure needed to fully evacuate and distribute this power, underscoring the need for further investment.
To address these gaps, Liberia has developed a five-pillar National Energy Compact.
The strategy focuses on scaling up generation, strengthening regional integration, embracing distributed renewable energy, attracting private-sector investment, and ensuring financially viable utilities.
A major reform now underway is the transition of 86.3% of government institutions from postpaid to prepaid electricity meters.
The move, expected to be completed by 2026,
is aimed at addressing long-standing issues of non-payment and improving revenue recovery for the LEC.
Liberia is also finalizing a Net Metering Policy that will enable private solar producers to feed excess energy back into the national grid in exchange for credits.
This marks a major step toward decentralized, community-driven power generation.
Institutional governance of the energy sector is being strengthened.
A dedicated Energy Sector Working Group, chaired by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and comprising key stakeholders, was established in 2024 to drive sectoral coordination and policy alignment.
In a move toward transparency and data-driven decision-making, Liberia has launched an Energy Information System (EIS), a web-based platform providing real-time metrics across energy sources including hydro, solar, biofuels, and more.
The system is accessible globally and can interface with other platforms.
Among key infrastructure developments are the upcoming commissioning of a 20MW solar power park and the planned expansion of the Mt. Coffee Hydropower Plant.
However, Minister Paye acknowledged that current and planned projects remain insufficient to meet national demand, which stands at approximately 400MW.
Still, optimism prevails. Minister Paye cited unwavering political will, improved investment conditions, and growing private-sector interest, including several Independent Power Producer (IPP) proposals under review, as signs of real momentum.
A Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit is expected to be fully operational by January 2026 to ensure timely and effective implementation of Liberia’s energy agenda.
Meanwhile, LEC is targeting the connection of 300,000 new customers as part of the country’s push toward universal access.
In closing, Minister Paye reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable energy future.
“This goal is ambitious but achievable,” he declared. “Because the leadership is aligned, the policies are clear, and the momentum is real.”
