MONROVIA, Liberia, July 29, 2026 – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) says it is assessing a formal complaint alleging corruption at the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) before deciding whether to open a full-scale investigation.
The complaint was filed by People’s Newspaper journalist Afred Togba, who accused members of the LTA Board of Commissioners of illegally receiving large sums of money from NUMBTEL, a company reportedly being considered to replace Telecom International Alliance (TIA) as the government’s telecommunications traffic monitoring partner.
Togba further alleged that although NUMBTEL has not carried out any operational work over the past six months, it has continued to receive payments.
The LTA has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that funds collected from telecommunications operators are being held in an escrow account.
Addressing a recent news conference, LTA Board Chairman Clarence Massaquoi declined to disclose the amount of revenue generated through the current traffic monitoring arrangement, saying he is accountable to the President.
“If they want me to say where the money is, I will not say it. I will report to the President,” Massaquoi said. “I can only assure the public that this Board of Commissioners… I can vouch for the character of each of my colleagues. All funds generated, today as I stand on this podium, if I were to receive a call from the Chief Executive to press the button to transfer, I will do it right from this point.”
LACC Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe confirmed that the Commission has received Togba’s complaint and that it is undergoing preliminary assessment.
“We received a complaint from one Afred Togba of the People’s Newspaper. I can confirm that I received the communication from him,” Zoe said.
She explained that under the Commission’s procedures, every complaint is first forwarded to the investigation unit for an initial assessment to determine whether sufficient grounds exist for a full investigation.
“The case has been lodged with us. After the assessment has been done, the full board will meet to determine whether to proceed with a full-scale investigation,” she said.
Zoe disclosed that the Commission had also received an earlier complaint concerning the LTA from another individual, whom she did not identify.
The allegations come amid continuing public debate over the management of Liberia’s telecommunications traffic monitoring system following the suspension of the concession agreement with Telecom International Alliance (TIA).
The LTA has yet to publish comprehensive figures showing how much revenue has been generated from telecommunications traffic monitoring since the previous arrangement was suspended.
Liberia introduced telecommunications traffic monitoring to improve regulatory oversight, enhance revenue assurance, combat international call bypass fraud, and verify payments by licensed telecommunications operators.
In 2018, the Government of Liberia contracted TIA to provide telecommunications traffic monitoring and revenue assurance services. The agreement was later amended and, in 2022, became a concession ratified by the National Legislature.
The concession authorized TIA to deploy technology capable of independently monitoring telecommunications traffic to support revenue verification, regulatory enforcement, and fraud detection.
In 2024, following questions surrounding the concession, the Ministry of Justice issued a legal opinion concluding that the agreement remained valid and enforceable unless overturned by a court.
After President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended the concession pending further review, a Joint Committee of the Legislature examined the agreement and recommended renegotiation rather than cancellation. The committee also advised the government to suspend negotiations for any competing monitoring arrangement while discussions with TIA continued.
Questions have since persisted over the LTA’s technical capacity to independently monitor telecommunications traffic without the previous concessionaire. Telecommunications experts have argued that effective traffic monitoring requires secure network integration, licensed software, specialized analytical systems, and continuous technical support.
Governance advocates have also renewed calls for greater transparency, arguing that as a public institution managing public resources, the LTA should regularly disclose revenues generated through telecommunications traffic monitoring and publish audited financial reports.
Observers say the outcome of the LACC’s assessment, together with any subsequent investigations and the government’s decision on the future of telecommunications traffic monitoring, could have significant implications for regulatory transparency, investor confidence, and public trust in Liberia’s telecommunications sector.
