Monrovia- Digital Liberia Inc. and the Merged Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia Inc. (M-FOMTUL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at advancing digitalization and smart mobility initiatives within Liberia’s motorcycle and tricycle transportation sector.
The signing ceremony, held over the weekend in Monrovia, brought together representatives of both institutions and highlighted efforts to connect the informal sector to digital technology, financial services, market and other opportunities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Digital Liberia Chairman Sullivan Doeblah said the agreement goes beyond the signing of a document, stressing that it is ultimately about improving the lives and opportunities of thousands of Liberians.
“The event is more than the signing of a document,” Doeblah said, stressing that “it is about people; the thousands of Liberians who wake up every morning to sell, drive, build, repair, trade, transport, farm, provide services and create opportunities for themselves and their families.”
“It is about a rider who depends on his motorcycle or tricycle to feed his family. It is about a market woman who runs her business every day but may not have access to formal financial services,” Doeblah stated.
“It is about the small entrepreneur who has a good business but struggles to prove his or her business identity. And it is about the young Liberian who wants to build a business but needs access to technology, finance, markets, information and opportunity. These are the people who are at the heart of Digital Liberia,” he intimated.
According to Doeblah, Liberia’s informal sector should not be viewed as a problem, but rather as a major economic opportunity.
“For too long, when you talk about Liberia’s informal sector, we sometimes speak about it as if it were a problem to be solved,” he intoned.
“We see it differently. We see the informal sector as one of Liberia’s greatest economic opportunities; representing entrepreneurs, workers, families, transport operators, traders, artisans, vendors, mechanics, farmers, service providers, and thousands of other hardworking Liberians,”
He pointed out that the major challenge is not the productivity of people operating within the informal economy, but the fact that many remain invisible to systems that could support their growth.
“A business without digital records can struggle to access credit. A rider without verifiable information can struggle to access financial services. A small business without a recognized digital identity can struggle to participate in larger markets. And a financial institution without reliable data can struggle to confidently serve customers in the informal economy. This is where technology can make a difference,” he continued.
“The partnership we are formalizing today with M-FOMTUL brings something that technology alone cannot provide: community, organization, representation and direct connection with the people we want to serve. Digital Liberia brings technology, digital systems, data-driven solutions, innovation, and a platform for connecting people and businesses to opportunities,” Doeblah averred.
He said the partnership could create a bridge between Liberia’s informal sector and the formal economy.
“When these two strengths come together, we have the possibility of building something far greater than either organization could build alone; a bridge between the informal sector and the formal economy. That bridge can connect a rider to a financial institution, a small business to a digital identity, an entrepreneur to new markets, and businesses to government services. It can also help government understand the informal economy through better, more reliable information,” the Digital Liberia Chairman said.
Also speaking, M-FOMTUL President General Duwor Mulbah described the signing as a significant moment for the organization and Liberia’s motorcycle and tricycle transportation sector.
Mulbah said the agreement represents an important step toward transforming, modernizing and professionalizing the sector.
“We are gathered here to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between M-FOMTUL and Digital Liberia, a partnership that we firmly believe will contribute to meaningful transformation, modernization and professionalization of our sector,” Mulbah stated.
According to him, M-FOMTUL, as the umbrella institution representing motorcyclists and tricyclists across Liberia, has a clear vision, strategic plan and development agenda for advancing and professionalizing the sector.
“We recognize that the challenges facing our riders cannot be solved overnight. However, we firmly believe that every challenge has a solution when there is commitment, responsible leadership, partnership and collective action,” Mulbah said.
“One of our major priorities is human capital development through technical and vocational education and training. We strongly believe that our riders should not only be known as motorcycle and tricycle operators. They must also have opportunities to acquire practical skills that can provide them with alternative sources of livelihood, increase their economic opportunities, and prepare them for a better and more secure future,” he added.
