President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has officially proclaimed July 21 as “Liberia Technology Summit Day,” marking a significant step in the government’s effort to build a modern, knowledge-based economy and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.
The proclamation, delivered on the President’s behalf by Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Samuel A. Stevquoah during the opening of the 2026 Liberia Technology Summit at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, establishes an annual national platform to promote innovation, strengthen digital governance, empower young Liberians, and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
The designation institutionalizes the Liberia Technology Summit as a recurring national event and underscores the Boakai administration’s commitment to making technology and innovation central pillars of Liberia’s long-term development strategy.
Opening the summit, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Sekou M. Kromah highlighted progress made since the launch of the Ministry’s five-year strategic plan, “Digital Liberia: Equity, Sovereignty, and Innovation for a Connected Future.”
“Strategy. Addresses. Fiber. Data. Law. This is how we construct a modern digital state from the ground up,” Kromah said. “Our underlying purpose is singular: to build a Liberia that owns its digital infrastructure rather than rents it.”
He said the strategy is designed to expand broadband connectivity, strengthen digital infrastructure, improve cybersecurity, modernize government services, and create new economic opportunities through technology.
The proclamation builds on the momentum generated by the inaugural Liberia Technology Summit held in 2025, elevating digital innovation to one of the government’s flagship policy priorities.
Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Henry F. Saamoi emphasized that digital transformation must ultimately improve the lives of ordinary Liberians.
“For us, digital transformation is not simply about technology—it is about people,” Saamoi said. “It is about the market woman who can receive payments safely, the youth entrepreneur building a business, and the farmer who can receive payments instantly regardless of location.”
Saamoi outlined several reforms being implemented by the Central Bank, including Liberia’s participation in the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the expansion of mobile money interoperability, and the rollout of the Inclusive Instant Payment System to facilitate secure, real-time digital transactions nationwide.
A major component of the government’s digital agenda is Executive Order No. 163, signed by President Boakai on April 22, 2026, establishing the Office of Technology, Digitization and Innovation (OTDI) within the Office of the President.
The office serves as the government’s central coordinating body for digital transformation, overseeing a unified technology strategy intended to modernize public administration, expand e-government services, improve efficiency, and strengthen public service delivery.
Beyond government reforms, this year’s summit also focused on promoting private sector innovation and entrepreneurship.
By incorporating the global Startup World Cup competition into the event, organizers created opportunities for Liberian technology entrepreneurs to connect with international investors and venture capital firms.
Major partners, including Orange Liberia and Afreximbank, joined other public and private institutions in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital investment.
The summit is being organized by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in collaboration with the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Central Bank of Liberia, Ducor Energy Technology Solutions, and other development partners.
Minister Stevquoah, who co-chairs the summit alongside MacDella Cooper, said President Boakai’s commitment to digital transformation predates his election and reflects a longstanding belief that technology must become a key driver of Liberia’s national development.
Representing the LTA Board of Commissioners and Board Chairman Clarence Massaquoi, Commissioner Patrick Honnah outlined regulatory reforms aimed at expanding affordable and secure access to communications services across Liberia.
Honnah disclosed that the LTA is reviewing findings from a World Bank-supported telecommunications market study intended to identify factors driving high communication costs and recommend measures to reduce interconnection fees and lower prices for consumers.
Following his return from high-level diplomatic engagements abroad, President Boakai addressed government officials, development partners, investors, and young innovators attending the summit.
“As you remember, I always say we had a BC (‘Before Computer’) era, but I want to commend the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, our partners, and the private sector,” the President said.
“Today’s gathering is far more than a temporary conference; it is a transformation of our nation—a national resolve to build a smarter, more efficient, more transparent, and more inclusive Liberia through digital innovation.”
Reflecting on his recent visit to Ethiopia and the rapid pace of global technological advancement, President Boakai warned that countries failing to embrace digital transformation risk being left behind.
“The world is changing rapidly,” he said. “Nations that embrace digital transformation are improving services, expanding economic opportunities, increasing transparency, strengthening national security, and creating jobs. Those who fail to do so risk falling behind. Liberia has chosen to move forward.”
To ensure continuity beyond the annual summit, the President directed the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs to establish a permanent coordinating office to oversee future Liberia Technology Summits in collaboration with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, and private sector stakeholders.
With the proclamation now in effect, Liberia Technology Summit Day becomes a permanent feature on the national calendar and is expected to serve as the country’s premier forum for advancing digital innovation, artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, digital governance, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies.
Government officials say the initiative reflects Liberia’s determination to position itself as an emerging digital economy in West Africa while creating new opportunities for innovation, investment, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.
