Liberian Activist in Exile
Spui 70, The Hague, Netherlands
Western Europe
December 5, 2025
H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boakai
President
Republic of Liberia
Ref: November 18, 2025 made Firestone Rubber Plantation 99 Years in Liberia. Can they now start to manufacture rubber tyres, buckets, slippers, bands, gloves, tubes, PPEs, etc. in 2026?
Dear Mr. President,
Technically, Firestone Rubber Plantation will begin a new journey as of 2026 after operating in Liberia for exactly 99 years (1926-2025).
Timeline:
1) First Contract: November 18, 1926 – November 18, 2025 (99 years).
2) Second Contract: Extended in 2008 for 26 more years (December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2041). Add 99 + 26 = 125. We’ve given Firestone 125 years just like that. This covers almost 5 generations of Liberians. Imagine .
3) Firestone bought 1 million acres of land in Margibi County, paying only 6 cents USD per acre. So, they paid just US$60,000 for 1 million acres even though they have generated hundreds of billions of USD from exporting natural rubber since 1926.
Today in Liberia, US$60,000 can only buy 15 acres or 60 lots of land assuming if an acre is sold for as low as US$4,000 or a lot is sold for at least US$1,000. Assuming they are to paid for 1 million acres now like they did in 1926, Firestone would pay at least 400 million USD to Liberia. But we allowed them to pay just $60K (0.06 per acre). And $60,000 is just 0.015% of 400 million USD.
Mr. President, is 60K for 1 million acres not a land grab? Land Grab in Realtime. Even though they bought 1 million acres, they have only been able to put 118,990 acres into use after 99 years, constituting 185 square miles. So, this means that 881,010 acres are yet to be put into use. Mr. President, the need for land reform across Liberia cannot be overemphasized.
Mr. President, what do we have to show for 99 years, almost a century now? Perhaps, almost every Liberian born between 1926 and 1936 is dead. After 99 years, our people on these plantations still live in huts and shacks. No safe drinking water. No electricity. No quality education. No better healthcare. No improved housing. No food security. No social welfare. Bad roads. Etc. Harbel, where Firestone largely operates, is still underdeveloped and poverty-stricken.
Mr. President, it is time to pragmatically engage Firestone – The largest contiguous natural rubber plantation worldwide. They need to pay their fair share like other countries are demanding. In 2026, they will begin a new journey after 99 years of rubber production and export (1926-2025). It’s time to shift towards manufacturing (value addition or from raw materials to finished products). This is where true economic growth and development lies. Our natural rubber is not only good enough to be exported. It is also good enough to be manufactured.
Recommendation:
Our recommendation to you, Mr. President, since January 2024 when we used to regularly talk, still stands: Thoroughly review and renegotiate ALL concession agreements, shift towards profit sharing, compel all companies to pay for long-term compliance breaches/violations, review ‘unjustified’ tax holidays and credits which is allowing us to lose over US$300 million every year, amend the revenue code, and impartially enforce all MDAs, EITI regulations, and MM and Natural Resource Laws to ensure full compliance and public interest. It is time t remodel and restructure our economy. An export-manufacturing-based economy is the way forward. Anything less than this, Liberia will continue to remain an aid-dependent, food insecure, debt-ridden, and poverty-stricken nation. It’s time to rethink public governance and reimagine public service. The Liberian people are suffering, poor, and unemployed.
November 18, 2025 made Firestone Rubber Plantation 99 Years in Liberia. What do we have to show for this, Mr. President?
The suffering in Liberia is artificial. It is man-made.
Have a blessed week, Mr. President.
About The Author: Martin K. N. Kollie is a Liberian in exile and a former student leader in Liberia.
