ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Advanced Academic Scholarship Program is aligning well with Liberia’s national goal of cultivating a technically skilled workforce.
Launched under the company’s Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), the program supports Liberian students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees both locally and abroad, especially in disciplines critical to national development.
From 2012 to 2025, the program has awarded scholarships to over 75 Liberians, preparing a new generation of professionals in fields such as engineering, geology, chemistry, environmental science, and public administration. A recent analysis of the initiative reveals strong regional and academic alignment with both ArcelorMittal’s operational footprint and the country’s labor market needs.
According to the data, the majority of scholarship recipients come from Bong, Nimba, and Grand Bassa counties, which are ArcelorMittal’s key concession areas. Bong County leads with 20 beneficiaries, followed by Nimba (17) and Grand Bassa (11), reflecting the company’s commitment to invest in human capital within its operational zones.
“This program is an important pipeline for building the local technical capacity needed to support Liberia’s economic transformation,” noted a senior official.
However, the analysis also exposes a notable gender disparity: of the 77 recipients reviewed, only 12 are women. “This imbalance highlights the broader issue of female underrepresentation in STEM and technical disciplines,” said an education policy expert. “Deliberate gender equity strategies are needed to bridge the gap.”
Scholars have pursued studies in countries such as Kenya, China, and Ghana, in disciplines including Civil Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Resource Management, and Mining Engineering. These academic paths are considered essential to Liberia’s post-conflict development and its efforts toward industrialization.
As ArcelorMittal implements its Phase II expansion, which includes a state-of-the-art ore concentrator, the company is expected to increasingly rely on these homegrown experts to manage complex mining and infrastructure systems.
Stakeholders are now calling for the next phase of the scholarship program to place greater emphasis on inclusion and emerging fields. Looking ahead, gender balance and prioritization of areas such as digital technology, data science, and climate resilience should be key criteria.
With the continued support of ArcelorMittal and a more inclusive approach, the scholarship program is poised to remain a cornerstone of Liberia’s long-term human capital development strategy.
