n
A proposal to establish an expansion facility of Nimba University in Ganta has moved closer to consideration following discussions between representatives of Nimba Kwado and the university administration in Sanniquellie.
The proposal was discussed on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, when Nimba University President Dr. Jesse Noah Mongrue disclosed that the university’s Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for September 30.
Dr. Mongrue said the proposed expansion beyond the university’s main campus in Sanniquellie is expected to be presented to the Board for consideration.
The development represents a procedural step but does not constitute approval.
University officials emphasized that decisions involving the establishment of an annex or extension, the use of university-related facilities, and major institutional partnerships must pass through the appropriate governing structures.
At the center of the proposal is access to public higher education in Nimba County, which, according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, has a population of 621,841, making it Liberia’s second-most populous county after Montserrado.
Nimba University is based in Sanniquellie, while the proposed Ganta facility would establish a public university presence in another major population and commercial center.
Proponents argue that the expansion could bring higher education closer to students in Ganta, central Nimba and communities along transportation corridors, potentially reducing the cost and difficulty of traveling to Sanniquellie.
Ganta’s position as a major commercial and transportation hub strengthens the argument for considering the city for educational services.
Nimba University has indicated an interest in expanding access beyond its main campus. A report on the university’s 2026 graduation quoted Dr. Mongrue as saying the institution planned to establish an annex elsewhere in Nimba to broaden regional access.
The university graduated 235 students in 2026, including 66 bachelor’s degree recipients and 169 associate-degree graduates.
The institution has acknowledged shortages of classroom space, dormitories and office facilities as its student population grows. While an additional facility could improve access, it would also require consideration of staffing, equipment, maintenance, academic programs and other operational costs.
Nimba Kwado President J. Randell Farngalo and members of his delegation have advocated for Ganta as a suitable location, citing its accessibility and economic importance.
Farngalo said the organization had consulted stakeholders, including members of the university’s Board of Trustees in Monrovia, and that some board members had responded positively to the concept.
University officials, however, made clear that consultations with individual trustees do not substitute for formal action by the Board.
No decision has been announced regarding ownership, financing, academic programs, staffing, management structure or the legal status of the proposed facility. It also remains unclear whether the facility would operate as a full campus, annex, learning center or another form of university extension.
The location of any future expansion also remains open. During consultations, the Nimba Kwado delegation indicated that Saclepea had been mentioned as another location.
Another issue discussed during the meeting concerned the possible use of university-associated facilities by LICOCESS, described during the meeting as a teacher-training institution.
According to participants, LICOCESS has expressed interest in using part of a facility associated with the university, including an area described as a high-school component.
University officials acknowledged receiving communication concerning the proposal but said the administration could not make a final commitment because such decisions fall under the authority of the university’s governing structures.
Nimba Kwado has also presented the proposed expansion as part of a youth-development agenda, including scholarship initiatives intended to increase educational opportunities for young people.
Any such arrangement would require further negotiations and approval through the university’s established governance structures.
The September 30 Board of Trustees meeting could become the most important stage so far in the proposal’s development. The Board could consider the proposal, request additional information, call for further consultations or determine that additional institutional assessment is necessary.
Until such action is taken, the proposed Ganta facility remains a proposal and is not an approved Nimba University campus.
See more Liberia News Network stories in Google Search by adding LNN as one of your Preferred Sources.
★ Add LNN as a Preferred Source