Liberia is grappling with a growing surge in the use and trafficking of illicit drugs, with the nation’s youth emerging as the most affected group, according to the World Bank’s latest report.
Updated in October 2025, the report outlines how socio-economic hardship, high unemployment, and limited access to education are driving young Liberians into substance abuse at alarming rates.
“Liberia’s youth are being pushed toward drugs by economic despair and limited life prospects,” the report states. “This trend threatens the nation’s human capital and long-term development.”
The World Bank identifies urban slums and underdeveloped rural communities as hotspots, where drug trafficking networks thrive in the absence of strong state institutions and economic opportunity.
President Joseph Boakai’s administration has acknowledged the urgency of the crisis, positioning it as a central focus of both national security and development policy.
In a bid to improve the government’s response, President Boakai replaced the leadership of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) twice within his first year in office, according to the report.
Under renewed leadership, the LDEA has intensified operations nationwide, targeting drug hubs, commonly referred to as “ghettoes”, for demolition and launching a crackdown on traffickers.
“We are not only going after traffickers but also prioritizing treatment for users,” said an LDEA official, noting that many addicts are now being referred to rehabilitation centers for care and support.
The government has also increased logistical and operational support to the LDEA, including vehicles, equipment, and resources aimed at enhancing enforcement capabilities, the World report added.
However, the World Bank cautions that enforcement alone is not a lasting solution.
“A sustainable response must address the root causes, poverty, education gaps, and economic exclusion,” the report states.
In response, the Boakai administration has launched the ARREST agenda, short for Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism-as its strategic development framework.
Government officials say the initiative aims to drive inclusive growth while addressing the underlying conditions that leave youth vulnerable to drug abuse and recruitment into trafficking networks.
“If we build roads but neglect our youth, the roads will only lead to more despair,” said a senior government official, highlighting the importance of aligning infrastructure with social development.
The Boakai-Koung administration faces a defining challenge; that is, converting policy into real, measurable opportunities for youth, before the country’s drug crisis deepens beyond control.
