A US$2 million World Bank-supported grant is helping women make strides in the fishing industry, competing with their male counterparts.

By Jerry Gaye – Contributing writer/November 1, 2026

On June 20, 2023, the Government of Liberia, through NaFAA and Conservation International (CI), signed a $2 million grant management agreement to enhance women’s participation in the fisheries sector under the World Bank-financed Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP). The grant, which was officially launched in March 2025, is being implemented by CI, with technical support from NaFAA and the LSMFP team.

Three of the large-grant beneficiaries, two in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, and another in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, shared what the money meant to them.

Kumba Boakai-Kulu, a recipient in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, who urged the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and the World Bank to keep investing in Liberian women, noted that the initiative is building the capacity of her fellow women to do bigger things.

The 48-year-old woman who now runs three 15-horsepower engines and two paddle-powered canoes began selling fish at ten, alongside her mother, and kept at it after her father died and her mother could no longer afford to pay for school. Fish sales carried her from fifth grade through high school, where she graduated around 2001.

After graduation, she spent 15 years working as a cash officer at LBDI; then, in June 2025, she resigned to give her full attention to fishing and her other ventures. “I saw a bigger picture,” she says. “I decided to take the risk in a Liberia that is not so easy.”

As CEO of the “Glory Be to Yaweh Service Centre” in Robertsport, she applied for the women empowerment grant through her business. Her business (Glory Be to Yaweh Service Centre) was selected for the grant. This happens at a critical moment when one of her engines had broken down completely. According to her, she added US$950 of her own money to her first installment and bought a replacement.

She used the next portion of the grant to stock fuel, a persistent challenge in Robertsport, so fishermen are not stranded on shore. They buy from her and repay after their catch, sometimes in exchange for fish.

Kumba says the grant helped her clear the debts her business had accumulated. Ten to twelve people now work with her, and none pay rent for the structures she built. Her expenses have fallen, and she is planning a modern freezing and drying facility.

“The grant gave us a push,” she says. “We expected more, but we know that where there is life, there is hope.”

Another resident, Musu T. Musah, a mother of five, narrated that she first heard about the grant from her daughter. She took advantage, applied, and was successful. She received US$5,000 in three installments. Through the grant initiative, she supplies fishermen with fuel in large quantities, and they repay her in fish. Before the grant, she could buy about two drums of fuel at a time. Now she buys 500 gallons or more.

The impact of the grant has become visible in her home and the community. She has finished her kitchen and fish drying area, moved her children into private primary school, and supported laborers who work with her.

With no bank nearby, Musu joined a savings club and puts in L$10,000 every Sunday, and she hasn’t missed a week since the money came. “It is improving our lives,” she says. In five years, she hopes to import fuel and own her own fishing boat.

A loan scheme that keeps giving

For Elizabeth Bonwin of the Big Fanti Town Fishing and Processing Center in Buchanan City, the grant has multiplied. Her organization has more than 100 women who meet twice a month, pay dues, and take part in a revolving loan scheme built on the grant.

Members are placed in groups of five, and the loans carry 10 percent interest, so repayments allow other members to borrow in turn. Her group has put out more than L$800,000 to support members’ businesses with interest expected in return.

“The grant is improving our lives and helping to do away with the struggle we undergo with loans and banking institutions,” she says. The funding is intended to provide women with alternative sources of livelihood, particularly during periods when fishing activities become difficult.

Madam Bonwin has expressed optimism that the initiative would enable the women to become financially independent and self-reliant in the coming years.

“In the next five years, we hope to see ourselves as independent and self-reliant,” she said.

What the women want next

The grant beneficiaries want the program to continue. Musu welcomed the monitoring visits that come with the grant by NaFAA. “It makes us serious,” she says. “When people give money and just leave, nobody is watching us, it is not good.” Kumba urged NaFAA and the World Bank to keep investing in Liberian women. “We are building up our capacity to do bigger things,” she says. “At first we were thinking low, but now we are getting out of the box.”

Monrovia — What began as a moment of hope for conservationists ended in frustration after a dolphin that washed ashore at Miami Beach in Monrovia was killed and butchered before a rescue team from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) arrived at the scene.

By Francis Boayue

Videos circulating on social media initially showed a group of men gathered around the stranded dolphin. The men appeared to be keeping watch over the animal and were heard saying they were waiting for fisheries authorities to arrive and take it to safety.

Following public attention to the incident, NaFAA announced that it had dispatched a team to the beach to respond to the situation.

In a Facebook post, the authority said it had sent a team to Miami Beach to address the reported incident involving a dolphin that had come ashore.

NaFAA also thanked Martin K. N. Kollie and his Verity Team for bringing the incident to public attention through social media. The authority commended community members for initially responding to the stranded animal.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to Martin K. N. Kollie and his Verity Team for bringing this matter to public attention through social media. We also commend the community members who took the initiative to act promptly in serving as first responders,” the authority said.

However, the initial optimism surrounding the rescue effort quickly faded.

In a subsequent Facebook update, NaFAA disclosed that the dolphin had not survived before its team reached the location. According to the authority, community members who had initially assisted the animal later killed it and shared the meat among themselves.

“It’s sad to report that the dolphin discovered on Miami Beach earlier 2day did not survive before our team arrived at the scene. The community helped but later killed and shared it,” NaFAA stated.

The circumstances surrounding the dolphin’s death, including whether any individuals will face legal consequences, were not immediately clear.

Conservation Concerns

The incident has renewed concerns about the protection of wildlife and marine species in Liberia, where conservation efforts continue to face challenges from the hunting and consumption of animals.

Dolphins play important roles in marine ecosystems, but stranded animals can be vulnerable to injury, stress, and human interference. Wildlife experts generally advise members of the public not to kill, handle unnecessarily or attempt to return stranded dolphins to the water without guidance from trained responders.

Instead, members of the public should notify the relevant authorities and keep a safe distance while awaiting assistance.

The Miami Beach incident also raises questions about public awareness of wildlife protection laws and the response mechanisms available when protected animals are found in distress.

Although the government has designated certain wildlife species for protection, animals continue to be hunted or killed for consumption and commercial purposes in some communities.

Another Wildlife Incident

The dolphin’s death comes less than a week after a crocodile was reportedly killed in a suburb of Monrovia.

In that incident, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) reportedly intervened and burned the crocodile in an effort to discourage its continued consumption. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was arrested in connection with the incident.

The two cases have drawn attention to the challenges facing authorities responsible for protecting wildlife and enforcing conservation measures.

For conservationists, the death of the dolphin underscores the need for stronger public education, faster responses to reports of stranded animals and greater awareness of the importance of protecting vulnerable species.

While community members initially appeared willing to help the dolphin, its eventual killing before the arrival of trained responders turned a potential rescue into a loss for marine conservation.

The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority had not announced any arrests or further enforcement measures in connection with the incident at the time of publication.

MONROVIA — Liberia’s push to improve transparency, accountability and sustainable management of its fisheries sector has entered a new phase, with the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) launching a three-year initiative aimed at strengthening governance and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

By J.H. Webster Clayeh | websterclayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The initiative, titled “Creating Greater Fisheries Transparency in Liberia,” was launched Thursday, September 24, at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Monrovia with support from Oceans5.

The launch brought together government officials, lawmakers, development partners, fisheries stakeholders and civil society representatives as Liberia seeks to address longstanding governance challenges in the sector and outstanding concerns associated with the European Union’s 2017 “Yellow Card” designation over alleged shortcomings in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

NaFAA Director General J. Cyrus Saygbe, delivering the keynote address, described fisheries as a national resource critical to coastal and inland communities as well as Liberia’s broader economy.

“NaFAA remains committed to managing the sector through transparency, science, technology and the rule of law,” Saygbe said.

He highlighted several reforms already underway, including a new system that has reduced fish-import permit processing time from about three weeks to three days.

Saygbe also announced plans to launch a toll-free call center and short code, 6232, by October 2026, allowing fisherfolk and members of the public to report suspected fisheries violations.

Four Yellow Card Issues Remain

Saygbe said Liberia has reduced the number of outstanding issues associated with the EU Yellow Card from 15 to four.

He identified the remaining areas of concern as the management of unauthorized vessels, implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement, monitoring of Liberia-flagged vessels and enforcement of fisheries sanctions.

The developments come as the government continues efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional framework governing the sector.

As part of the fisheries law reform process, Saygbe said a legal firm has been engaged to review Liberia’s fisheries laws, while the International Labour Organization (ILO) is providing technical assistance toward ratification of Convention No. 188 on work in fishing.

A steering committee and technical working groups have also been established under NaFAA’s leadership.

Madia H. Peters Magbollah, NaFAA’s Deputy Director General for Administration and chief launcher of the initiative, described the project as part of long-awaited reforms in Liberia’s fisheries sector.

She said the initiative would reinforce existing systems while supporting efforts to combat IUU fishing and strengthen enforcement.

“The initiative would reinforce existing systems and contribute to efforts to combat IUU fishing and strengthen enforcement,” Magbollah said.

Grand Bassa County Senator M. Gbezhongar Findley, chairman of the Senate Committee on Aquaculture, Forestry and Fisheries and co-launcher of the project, pledged legislative support for the reforms.

Findley said he would review proposed reforms aimed at bringing Liberia’s fisheries sector into greater alignment with international standards.

EJF Seeks Legislative Backing

Speaking at the launch, EJF West Africa Regional Manager Cephas Asare said the initiative is designed to secure the legislative and institutional support required to advance fisheries reforms.

He noted that several of the project’s objectives will require legislative action and sustained collaboration among government institutions, lawmakers, civil society organizations and fishing communities.

EJF, an international environmental and human rights organization, has operated in Liberia since 2019, focusing on fisheries governance.

According to Asare, momentum for greater fisheries transparency increased following Liberia’s endorsement of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, and continued with the country’s endorsement of the Mombasa Declaration at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya.

The three-year initiative will support reforms to Liberia’s fisheries laws, advance ratification of ILO Convention No. 188, promote implementation of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency and expand public participation in the governance of Liberia’s marine resources.

EJF also plans to organize a series of national dialogues involving fisheries associations, women’s groups, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to broaden participation in the reform process.

EU Announces €25 Million Fisheries Initiative

The European Union also reaffirmed its engagement with Liberia’s fisheries sector.

Maria Winnubst, Program Officer at the EU Delegation to Liberia, referenced the EU’s June 2025 Ocean Pact and ongoing support for aquaculture, food safety and regional maritime security initiatives.

She also announced a €25 million Strengthening Artisanal Fisheries (SAFish) initiative for Liberia.

According to Winnubst, the five-year program will operate across Liberia’s coastal counties, with the possibility of being extended to seven years.

The program is expected to support efforts to strengthen artisanal fisheries and improve the sector’s contribution to livelihoods and food security.

Beyond Funding

Asare cautioned that international funding alone would not be enough to transform Liberia’s fisheries sector.

He called for sustained domestic investment and stronger cooperation among government institutions, lawmakers, fishing communities, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

The new initiative will involve NaFAA, the Liberia Maritime Authority, the Liberia Fisheries Association and civil society organizations.

For Liberia, the reforms come at a critical point as authorities work to strengthen fisheries governance, address remaining concerns linked to the EU Yellow Card and ensure that the country’s marine resources are managed with greater transparency and accountability.

Monrovia _ August 11, 2026: Fishermen in several Liberian fishing communities have reported an increase in registered fishing canoes and fish catches following the government’s reduction of annual licence fees for artisanal fishing vessels.

By Jerry Gaye/Contributing Writer

On November 24, 2025, the government of Liberia, through Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, announced a nationwide decrease in annual fisheries licensing fees, which he said would take effect starting January 1, 2026. The announcement was made at the Commissioning of Liberia’s first Semi-Industrial Fiberglass Fishing Vessel – The Sea King, at the Mesurado Pier, Bushrod Island, Montserrado County.

Vice President Koung announced during the ceremony that operators of paddle-powered canoes would pay US$30 annually, while owners of motorized canoes with engines ranging from one to 15 horsepower would pay US$175. Operators of larger motorized canoes with engines ranging from 16 to 40 horsepower, according to the VP, would pay US$350 annually.

Before the reduction, paddle-powered canoes paid US$50 annually, while motorized canoes with engines of up to 15 horsepower paid US$250. The previous fee for canoes with engines ranging from 16 to 40 horsepower was listed by NaFAA as US$475.

Liberia’s fisheries sector is a major contributor to employment, food security, and economic growth, directly engaging over 40,000 fisherfolks and providing the primary source of protein for about 80% of the population. Artisanal fisheries remain central to coastal livelihoods and local food supply, while industrial fisheries are becoming increasingly important for exports and government revenue, particularly through licensing.

In recent days, this paper visited several fishing communities and spoke with fisherfolks about the impact of the government’s reduction in annual licence fees for artisanal fishing vessels on the industry. Speaking to our reporter in Buchanan and Robertsport cities, the fishermen said the decision by the Liberian government has increased the number of fishing canoes and catches on Liberian shores, thereby reducing the prices of fish in the community.

Ben Blamo, a 46-year-old chief fisherman in the Sekehpol fishing community in Buchanan City, applauded President Boakai for the decision, which he said has contributed to increased production and lower fish prices. “More fish coming because plenty vessels entering the water now; people paying their taxes [licenses] on time because the taxes less now”, he narrated. The 30-year-experienced fisherman explained that he now pays L$5,580.00, or US$30 for his paddle-powered canoe and US$175 for his 8 horsepower canoe as yearly license fees.

The reduction, according to him, has also inspired women to get into the fishing sector and compete with their male counterparts. He narrated that some of the women now own more than one motorized canoe and are doing well in the industry.

One of the women making strides in the Industry is Kumba Boakai-Kulu, a recipient of a World Bank-supported women empowerment grant program which is implemented by Conservation International, or CI, through NaFAA. Currently, Kumba owns three fifteen-horsepower canoes and has two paddle-powered canoes in Robertsport City, Grand Capemount County.         

Benjamin Sieh, NaFAA’s Fisheries Inspector, told our reporter that several changes have taken place in Liberia’s fishing industry under the leadership of the Director-General of NaFAA, J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr. Sieh identified the reduction in artisanal fishing licence fees and the digitalization of fisheries licensing as reforms that are improving compliance and supporting domestic fish production.

According to him, the lower fees have encouraged more canoe owners to meet their licensing obligations, while the number of new canoes operating in fishing communities continues to increase. He expressed confidence that domestic fish production could eventually surpass previously reported levels and reduce Liberia’s dependence on imported fish.Available figures show that since 2024, domestic fish production has accounted for more than half of Liberia’s estimated fish consumption. In 2025, NaFAA reported annual fish consumption at 45,549 metric tons, with domestic fish production accounting for 25,549 metric tons, representing 56% of the total annual consumption demand. This, according to Sieh, wouldn’t have been possible without the kind of reforms being carried out by Director Saygbe at the fisheries management agency.

Since Director Saygbe resumed the role as Director-General of NaFAA in 2025, the institution has reported several reforms and initiatives, focusing on digitalization, reduced costs for artisanal fishers, improved monitoring, aquaculture development, modern fishing equipment and private-sector investment.

Under his leadership, NaFAA also organized the Kpongama 2026 National Fisheries Investment Conference, which brought together government officials, development partners and private investors to discuss opportunities in Liberia’s fisheries and blue-economy sectors.

The conference highlighted an EU-supported €25 million private-sector development initiative covering artisanal fisheries and sustainable infrastructure. Additionally, in 2026, the agency secured a US$500,000 grant through Oceans5 to support the review and modernization of Liberia’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019.

Under his watch, NaFAA also registered 533 aquaculture farms from Bong, Nimba, and Lofa counties, respectively.

Monrovia – The World Bank has called for increased private sector investment in Liberia’s fisheries sector, describing it as critical to unlocking jobs, boosting revenues, and ensuring long-term economic growth.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh

Speaking at the opening of Liberia’s first National Fisheries Investment Conference, World Bank Liberia Country Manager Georgia Wallen emphasized that sustainable investment is key to transforming the sector into a major driver of the country’s economy.

The conference, which brought together government officials, development partners, private sector actors, and academia, aims to position Liberia’s fisheries and aquaculture industries as viable and competitive investment destinations.

Wallen noted that since 2021, the World Bank has been supporting Liberia in shaping a people-centered fisheries agenda that prioritizes coastal communities, artisanal fishers, women, and youth.

“Investments are critical because they create income for the people, drive growth, and build long-term wealth for the country,” she said. “They also provide incentives for the sustainable management of fisheries resources and aquaculture.”

She highlighted the World Bank’s Liberia Sustainable Management Fisheries Project as a cornerstone of efforts to reposition the sector, outlining five key areas of intervention designed to make fisheries more “investment-ready.”

According to Wallen, the first focus is on human capital development, including support to the University of Liberia to establish a modern fisheries academic program aimed at training the next generation of professionals in the sector.

The second area involves strengthening stakeholder participation, with targeted support to aquaculture farmers and women entrepreneurs through training, grants, and improved access to sustainable practices and financial opportunities.

She also pointed to catalytic investments such as the Klay hatchery, the introduction of the country’s first semi-industrial fishing vessel “Sea King,” and an incubator program for new canoes as initiatives intended to attract private sector interest.

Additionally, the World Bank is supporting digitization and modernization within the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), including the establishment of a one-stop service center for fishers and processors, alongside enhanced monitoring and surveillance systems to improve transparency and governance.

Wallen further underscored the importance of developing a comprehensive fisheries strategy, supported by an aquaculture roadmap and a public-private partnership framework, to sustain long-term investment in the sector.

“These efforts send a clear signal that Liberia is ready to build a well-governed, commercially viable, and environmentally sustainable fisheries economy,” she said.

She added that the sector holds significant potential not only to create jobs—particularly for women and young people—but also to contribute meaningfully to national economic growth while safeguarding marine resources.

Wallen concluded by commending the leadership of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, headed by Director J. Cyrus Saygbe, Sr. and encouraged stakeholders to seize the opportunities presented by the conference to advance the sector.

The National Fisheries Investment Conference is expected to lay the groundwork for increased collaboration between the government and private investors, with a focus on driving sustainable development in Liberia’s fisheries industry.

MONROVIA — Liberia is taking some decisive steps towards unlocking investment in the blue economy, first beginning with the launch of National Fisheries Investment Conference 2026, popularly known as “Kpongama 2026.”

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

The Director General of Liberia’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr., described the gathering as a “historic platform” aimed at mobilizing global investment, strengthening partnerships and accelerating development in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

To be held under the theme: “Unlocking the Blue Horizons: The Future of Fisheries and the Blue Economy,” the two-day conference will be held at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County.

DG Saygbe says the conference will attract participants from 21 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, including major economies such as the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates, alongside regional players like Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The event will bring together investors, policymakers, fisheries experts and development partners, all focused on expanding opportunities within Liberia’s largely untapped fisheries sector.

The conference will open with a keynote address from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who is also expected to launch three key policy frameworks: a 10-Year Strategic Plan; a National Fisheries Investment Plan and aPublic-Private Partnership (PPP) Strategy.

The NaFAA boss furthered that these documents will guide long-term investment, governance and sustainable growth in the sector.

DG Saygbe also announced plans to sign key partnership agreements during the conference, including a deal with Orange Liberia to operationalize the country’s first semi-industrial fiberglass fishing vessel, known as the “Sea King.”

Another agreement, he indicated, will focus on renovating and operationalizing the Robertsport Fishing Cluster in Grand Cape Mount County, a move expected to boost local fisheries infrastructure and create jobs.

In addition, Liberia will present three major investment-ready projects, namely: The Liberia Industrial Fishing Harbour; the Liberia Industrial Fishing Fleet and the Liberia Industrial Integrated Aquaculture and Inland Off-Taker Farms

He pointed out that these projects form part of the government’s broader fisheries modernization agenda.

“Kpongama 2026” will also feature two days of technical discussions, including nine thematic sessions covering areas such as sustainable fisheries management, financing the blue economy, climate resilience, and technology-driven innovation.

More than 40 panelists, both Liberian and international experts, are expected to contribute to discussions aimed at producing actionable outcomes.

The NaFAA boss told the pre-conference launch that the massive gathering aligns with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development or AAID, which prioritizes economic growth, infrastructure, governance and human capital development.

DG  Saygbe highlighted fisheries as a key driver of food security, job creation, and private sector investment, noting that the sector is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone of national transformation.

He also acknowledged the support of major development partners, including the World Bank Group, European Union, UNDP, and the OPEC Fund for International Development.

“These partnerships are not just support, they are investments in Liberia’s future,” officials noted.

 “The tide is rising, the opportunities are here, and Liberia is ready for business,” Mr. Saygbe declared as all eyes now set on the much-publicized “Kpongama 2026.”

As anticipation builds, NaFAA head asserted that Kpongama 2026 is more than just a conference, but a “national declaration” of Liberia’s readiness to embrace the opportunities of the blue economy.

Monrovia — An Implementation Support Mission of the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), implemented by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), is currently underway in Monrovia.

The mission forms a core component of the World Bank’s supervision of financed operations and is focused on assessing implementation progress, strengthening technical capacity, and ensuring the timely and high-quality delivery of planned project interventions.

According to an official press statement, the mission is reviewing a portfolio of priority investments under the LSMFP. These include preparatory activities toward the construction of a modern fisheries complex; the ongoing aquapreneurs incubation program, which will culminate in the competitive distribution of fiberglass fishing canoes; and the renovation of NaFAA’s regional headquarters in Harper, Maryland County.

Additional areas of engagement include the establishment of a dedicated call center to enhance the Fisheries Information Management System (FIMS); preparation of a Public–Private Partnership (PPP) framework to catalyze private-sector participation; construction of a 1.2-kilometer access road; and the development of a comprehensive Fisheries Strategy and Investment Plan. The 10-Year Fisheries Strategic Plan and Investment Plan (2026–2035) is expected to be officially launched during the National Fisheries Investment Conference, scheduled for March 30–31, 2026, by the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

Led by World Bank Task Team Leader, Ms. Ngao Mubanga, the mission will undertake field visits to the manufacturing site of Kru and Fanti fiberglass fishing canoes, engage beneficiaries of the Women’s Empowerment Grant Program, and inspect the Klay Fish Hatchery construction site in Bomi County. These visits will assess implementation progress, quality assurance, and compliance with environmental and social safeguards.

Collectively, these coordinated investments are designed to strengthen Liberia’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors by expanding access to high-quality fingerlings, increasing the availability of locally produced fish feed, and delivering modern production and post-harvest infrastructure.

Upon completion, the Klay Hatchery is expected to significantly boost national capacity for breeding and distributing improved fish species. The associated commercial feed mill will reduce dependence on imported feed, lower production costs, and enhance productivity and competitiveness among fish farmers nationwide.

About the LSMFP

The Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP) is a World Bank–funded initiative that adopts a holistic and integrated approach to sector development. The Project focuses on strengthening governance and management reforms, building human and institutional capacity, and enhancing performance across the fisheries value chain to support sustainable growth and food security.

This is part two of a two part series looking at the impact of government delays in implementing the $27 million Green Climate Fund-backed Coastal Defense project. Part one found failures by the administration of President George Weah led to homes being lost and livelihoods destroyed.

By Joyclyn Wea, senior correspondent with New Narratives with photography by Allison Hunter

• Liberia’s Boakai administration revives a stalled $26 million coastal defense project to protect Monrovia’s West Point community, where more than 800 residents have already been displaced by sea erosion.
• Construction of the long-awaited sea wall is set to begin by the end of 2025, with government co-financing now secured after delays under former President George Weah.
• As many as 1,000 residents face demolition of their homes to make way for construction, but leaders say the community has yet to hear details from government.

WEST POINT, Monrovia — As heavy rains batter the coast, fear thickens in West Point. Five years ago a storm surge took the home Sarah Gary’s father built when she was a child. Now Gary lives in a house just feet from the Atlantic’s rage. Every rainy season more than a dozen homes in this low-lying informal settlement are swept away. When Gary goes to sleep she fears she’ll be wakened by crashing waves taking this home too.

But this may be the last rainy season families here live in fear. After years of broken promises under the administration of President George Weah, the long-stalled sea wall – part of the $26 million Monrovia Metropolitan Climate Resilience Project – is set to begin construction by the end of this year.

“I’ve been hearing about this project long time,” said Gary. “Every time the people say people will come to help us put rock here, since CDC time, nobody wants to do it. So we will be happy.”

The announcement represents a turning point for the project which was launched to much fanfare by then-Mayor Jefferson Koijee in 2021. In the years after, the failure of the Weah administration to put up the $US2.4 million co-financing and $4 million in large boulders it had agreed to, meant the project ground to a crawl. The government contributed just $50,000.

In part one of this series Wilson Tarpeh, Weah administration Environmental Protection Agency chief, said he had found it impossible to get the money from the Finance Ministry and admitted that his administration had failed the people of West Point.

In the years since more than 67 homes have disappeared beneath rising seas, and 403 residents have been displaced, according to township leadership. Many more have lost their livelihoods, as boats, nets, and storefronts are regularly swept away during high seas.

Christina Toe, a lifelong West Point resident and mother of two, exemplifies the economic vulnerability: “If God is not on your side when the sea gets vexed, your canoe will go, your machine will go. Your net will go. And if it goes, you don’t have anything like you are depending on, meaning you just have to sit down.”

Now the community is celebrating the news that the 18-month-old Boakai administration has met the government’s co-financing requirements and the project is back on track.

“This time next year, West Point should be protected from sea level rise for 40-plus years,” said Louise Kuukpen, deputy resident representative at the United Nations Development Programme in Liberia, which is implementing the project on behalf of the Green Climate Fund, a global pool of funds from rich countries designed to help low-income countries adapt to climate change.

Construction Challenges and Community Sacrifice

But construction of the sea wall will not come without pain for this community. Homes where approximately 1,000 people live will need to be demolished to make way for a road connectd the south end of the beach with the mainland. Community leaders say the people understand this is a sacrifice they must make for long-term security.

“We will embrace it,” said Swen. “This place where we are is government land. So if they come and give you something for you to find a place, so be it.”

But this aspect of the project is causing some concerns. The UN’s Kuukpen says the relocation of residents is not funded under the overall project.  The government must find funding and a solution separately. Community leaders say they have not been given enough information about this, and it’s making people nervous.

Project manager Zienu Kanneh said specific responses to resettlement questions await completion of a resettlement action plan and livelihood restoration plan, which are currently in progress.

“These two instruments are essential in ensuring that project-affected persons, particularly those whose livelihoods and access to resources may be disrupted, are adequately identified, engaged, and supported through tailored mitigation and compensation measures,” Kanneh said.

While waiting for the funds to come, the West Point community has done its best to slow the sea, planting 430 mangroves and 4,000 coconut seedlings along vulnerable shorelines.

While policy makers and environmentalists will breath a sigh of relief to see this heavily populated community saved from the waves, it is just one of many communities along the coast facing the same fate in coming years.

The country’s shoreline has retreated by an average of 30 meters over the past two decades, with some areas experiencing much more dramatic losses. As many as 230,000 Liberians are set to lose their homes by 2100 with current levels of sea level rise.

Experts say the project has become a test case for international climate finance mechanisms established under the Paris Agreement. The Green Climate Fund’s $17.2 million contribution was contingent on Liberia meeting its share of the total project cost—a requirement that had proved nearly impossible under the previous administration. Another Green Climate Fund project to create a weather hazard warning system had also been delayed for years by Weah government failures.

“A climate-vulnerable country like Liberia is a priority for GCF as Liberia counts among those most impacted by climate change despite contributing little in the way of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Andrew McElroy, a Green Climate Fund spokesperson.

But just being a priority country isn’t enough if the government won’t meet requirements to unlock funding. Experts say the funds will just move to another country that will, leaving millions of Liberians to fight climate change impacts on their own.

For a project originally set to run from 2021 to 2027, the road ahead may now stretch to 2028 or 2029, as Liberia seeks a no-cost extension to finish the work. But for a government eager to restore public trust, and for families like Sarah Gray’s who can’t afford another rainy season without protection, the countdown has begun.

The Boakai administration has distinguished itself from its predecessor with transparency about the project’s challenges and timelines. Unlike the previous government, which often portrayed the project as proceeding on schedule, current officials have acknowledged delays while providing specific timelines and funding figures.

It was not just funding that was missing according to the new administration. Scientific and environmental studies were also not done.

“We inherited a situation where these critical studies hadn’t even been commissioned,” Yarkpawolo said. “We’ve fast-tracked procurement for the engineering studies, but proper engineering takes time.”

For now the township braces for the worst of the rainy season to kick in. The township typically experiences its highest seas between July and September. This year has been relatively calm, but residents know that provides no guarantee for the rest of the season.

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the “Investigating Liberia” project. The Swedish Embassy provided funding, but the founder had no say in the story’s content.

MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia(GoL), through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), has officially launched preparations for its landmark 2026 International Fisheries Investment Conference.

By Francis G. Boayue

The global event is scheduled for March 30–31, 2026 at Farmington Hotel, Margibi County.

The Acting Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr., speaking on Tuesday, December 9, 2025  during a major press conference held at the authority’s headquarters on Bushrod Island, said the 2026 Global Fisheries Investment Conference signals a critical, transformative journey aimed at repositioning Liberia’s fisheries sector as a competitive, modern, and investment-ready industry.

According to him, to ensure the success and professional execution of the event, NaFAA has competitively recruited Golden Touch Corporation to lead the preparation and execution of the conference.

The firm is tasked with engaging national and international stakeholders in the coming weeks to collect vital insights that will inform the conference program, exhibitions, investment showcases, and policy dialogues.

The NaFAA Acting Boss further stressed that NaFAA is currently “surviving rather than progressing,” despite its vital role in national food security and economic livelihood.

He emphasized that under the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., the government is prioritizing a major shift, diversifying NaFAA’s revenue base away from a sole reliance on industrial fishing licenses toward more sustainable and dependable financing streams.

“Under President Boakai’s leadership, the government has prioritized the diversification of NaFAA’s revenue base, shifting from reliance on industrial fishing licenses to more sustainable and dependable financing streams,” Mr. Saygbe highlighted.

He further said the 2026 conference will convene key global players, including international Investors and Innovators, policymakers and technology providers, development partners, and sector leaders.

“To drive this new, investment-led approach, NaFAA has developed a comprehensive Resource Mobilization Strategy, with the 2026 Fisheries Investment Conference serving as its central pillar.

“The conference is expected to act as a crucial catalyst for unlocking investment opportunities, stimulating innovation across the value chain, and building long-term public and private partnerships necessary for modernization.’’

In preparation for 2026.

“NaFAA is also simultaneously developing key long-term strategic documents set to be launched at the conference. These instruments are designed to guide the sector’s priorities over the next decade a 10-Year Fisheries Strategic Plan, a Fisheries Investment Plan, and a National Aquaculture Strategy.’’

“These documents are expected to be formally launched during the conference and they will guide the sector’s priorities over the next decade, emphasizing sustainable growth, private-sector participation, and community empowerment,” the Acting Director General stated.

The NaFAA Acting Boss Saygbe issued a strong call to action for active participation from all stakeholders: “Your contributions will be vital in identifying investable opportunities, strengthening sector systems, and designing innovative solutions that promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development,” he noted.

Early registration for the conference is now open. NaFAA encourages all interested organizations and individuals to secure their participation and become part of this transformative process aimed at accelerating growth and ensuring long-term resilience for Liberia’s fisheries sector.

“Together, we can build a future where Liberia’s fisheries resources generate greater value, create sustainable jobs, and remain a cornerstone of national prosperity for generations to come,” Mr. Saygbe concluded.

By Joyclyn Wea with New Narratives

WEST POINT, Monrovia-When the sea turns rough, Elizabeth Gray and her family have nowhere to run. Water floods through their home in this low-lying informal settlement, forcing her three children to relieve themselves indoors while waves crash just meters from their door.

As this year’s rainy season gets underway, the family lives in terror. They’ve already lost one house to the sea. Four years ago, the ocean swallowed Gray’s four-room home along with everything inside. Now they live in constant fear that her current dwelling, where seawater regularly floods the floors during rough weather, will be next. Sea levels are rising slowly, but it’s the rainy season, and ocean surges that come with storms, that is taking houses now.

“Our children are not safe,” Gray, 29, says in a recent interview. “Now the sea is giving us a hard time, and we don’t have anywhere apart from this house.”

Gray’s story illustrates the human cost of a climate change adaptation project that has stalled because of failures of Liberia’s government. The Monrovia Metropolitan Climate Resilience Project was designed to protect 250,000 residents from exactly this kind of devastation. But annual progress reports from the Green Climate Fund – the global donor pool that was to fund two thirds of the costs of the project – show that failures of the administration of President George Weah delayed the project for years.

The Weah administration had allegedly diverted millions to fund the 2023 elections. People here received bags of rice from representatives of Weah’s political party. But the election campaign meant little to more than a dozen families here like Musa Bamba. As sea levels surged during storms in the rainy season that led up to the 2023 poll, his 12-room house – home to 6 members of his family – slipped into the sea.

Coastal Defense Project Hailed as a Triumph by Government

The project should have been a triumph of international cooperation. Launched in 2021 by then-Monrovia mayor, Jefferson Koijee, the project secured $17.2 million from the Green Climate Fund and another $1.6 million from the United Nations Development Program. The project’s design would see a so-called “revetment”, placing massive rocks along the shoreline to hold back the sea for at least 40 years.

It was Liberia’s biggest grant to date from the world’s largest climate adaptation fund. Started in the wake of the 2021 Paris Agreement, the Green Climate Fund took money from heavily polluting rich countries to help developing nations adapt to the rapidly changing climate. The government of President George Weah agreed to contribute $6.8 million—one quarter of the total cost. Just $2 million was to be paid in cash, with the rest coming “in kind” – mostly in the form of rocks that would be sourced from Mount Coffee and brought to West Point.

But over three years, the Weah administration contributed just $50,000 total in cash, according to the Green Climate Fund’s 2023 annual performance report, roughly 2.5 percent of the $2 million it had promised.

“Insufficient co-financing provided by the Government of Liberia” caused “significant” delays, the fund’s 2023 report stated. Annual reporting in 2022 blamed delays on the government’s slow pace in appointing project management staff, something that plagued another Green Climate Fund project in Liberia – the $10 million Climate Information Systems project that would have warned millions of farmers and flood victims of weather hazards ahead of time. 

In a phone interview Samuel Tweah, who served as Weah’s finance minister, acknowledged the government’s failure but blamed it on the COVID-19 pandemic. “Under the circumstances, it was just difficult. People were staying home, we had to pay government workers, and all those things,” Tweah said.

But the delays extended well beyond the pandemic and the lockdowns that ended in late 2021. As 2023 went on, the Green Climate Fund report said, the government became increasingly focused on “the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.” New Narratives/Front Page Africa reporting has found that in the run-up to the elections, funds were diverted from almost every government entity. The anti-human trafficking unit in the Ministry of Labor, for instance, saw 90 percent of the $230,000 allotted to it in the annual budget diverted, allegedly, to fund the elections. Tweah and two other top government officials were dismissed from their jobs after being placed on the US Treasury’s Sanctions List, accused of corruption.

Without Government Funding Project Activities Slowed to a Crawl

The funding structure was designed to be straightforward: government contributions would unlock larger international disbursements, a common mechanism to ensure recipient countries remain invested in project success. Without Liberia’s share, the project slowed to a crawl. No more Global Climate funds were sent.

The Green Climate Fund 2023 report revealed multiple attempts by international officials and EPA staff to engage Liberia’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. “Several discussions were held to ensure that GoL’s full cash co-financing commitment is captured in GoL’s annual national budgetary allocation,” the report said. These efforts proved unsuccessful.

In an interview Weah government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) executive director Wilson Tarpeh said he regretted the failures. “Based on the work plan, we did not obtain what should have been done at the time I was there,” said Tarpeh. “Of course, it’s painful. It’s painful when you go to West Point. You see what the people are doing and you see a situation where you go in and out of the Ministry of Finance. I don’t want to say I am blaming the Ministry of Finance; that’s a government work so we take full responsibility for it.”

In West Point, Tarpeh’s expression of regret found little sympathy. After seeing 800 houses – home to 6500 people – washed away in the years leading up to the 2021 project launch, they thought a solution was coming. But as years passed, and houses kept disappearing, they lost hope.

The government “did not have the political will,” said William C. Wea, former West Point commissioner, shaking his head.

Beyond West Point: A Looming National Crisis

The stalled project is just one part of what will need to be a massive effort to protect or relocate an estimated 230,000 Liberians who will lose their homes to the sea by 2100, at current levels of global warming, according to United Nations Environment Program data. Projections suggest the coast could move 190 meters inland by the end of the decade.

Already, 0.8 square km of land has been lost in recent decades due to coastal erosion, impacting infrastructure and nearby population centers. In the Greater Monrovia area alone, a predicted 16 cm sea level rise by 2030 would put at risk 675,000 people and 9,500 hectares of land.

West Point has been particularly hard hit. It’s not just homes. Many of the large fishing community lost their livelihoods as boats and equipment washed away.

“For those who have broken canoes and lost their canoes, it’s almost like they have to sit with somebody in their canoes and join with somebody,” said Thomas Tweh, the township’s focal person for the project. “And if they don’t find someone to allow them to go fishing with them, they too will not go fishing for a season or a month, or a week.”

A New Government’s Inheritance

The election of President Joseph Boakai in late 2023 offered new hope for the stalled project. In an interview, Urey Yarkpawolo, the new EPA executive director, claimed that the current government has “met all the benchmarks to unlock the GCF funding” and secured additional government contributions – $500,000 was released on December 31, 2024, with another $500,000 approved in the 2025 budget.

UNDP Liberia representative Kuukpen confirmed the Boakai administration is now up to date with payments. The 2025 payment is due by October this year. Construction – starting with a road from Kru Beach to Lower West Point to bring the rocks – is expected to begin soon.

“I would say this year and next year, we will see some results,” Yarkpawolo said.

But when construction begins, there are still questions for the community here. One thousand residents will need to be moved to make way for the road.

The UNDP’s Kuukpen made clear that the government would be separately responsible for providing relocation assistance for displaced residents. People in the community say they have accepted the home demolitions are necessary. But they are waiting to see exactly which homes it will be and what the government will offer them.

In a WhatsApp response, project manager Zienu Kanneh acknowledged that there are no answers for community members yet. He said a “Resettlement Action Plan” and Livelihood Restoration Plan” are not completed. But he promised that “all of the questions will be answered once those plans are developed.”

But, for residents like Gray, the renewed promises feel familiar. It’s now four years since Mayor Koijee promised relief was coming soon. “They brought a yellow machine here and all to come see the area, but at the end of the day, we didn’t see anything,” she said.

As the rainy season gets underway, Gray faces daily reminders of her vulnerability. She spends $LD120 daily, (US60cents) for her family to bathe at paid facilities. West Point lacks any sanitation infrastructure.

“It is worrisome to us. Depending on the degree of the rain, you cannot walk here, the place gets flooded, and feces come back into the town,”  Leona Monger, a resident of the township, said. “As a government, be truthful to your citizens; do not scatter their expectations.”

“I am only begging the government to help,” Gray said. “We are begging them, we’re appealing to them to help because right now we are already in the rain.”

This story is part one of a two-part series. Part two will explore the next steps for the Coastal Defense Project now that funding has been restored. This series was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project. The Swedish Embassy in Liberia provided funding. The funder had no say in the story’s content.