Monrovia, May 6, 2026: NUM TEL LIBERIA JV Numbase LLC has been cautioned to proceed carefully as it seeks to take over Liberia’s national traffic monitoring services under a proposed agreement with the government.
This warning, voiced by both legal and managerial experts, comes amid moves by the Liberian government, through the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), to engage NUM TEL in replacing Telecom International Alliance (TIA) as the traffic monitoring services provider.
Legal experts, who spoke to this outlet on condition of anonymity, stressed the need for prudence from both NUM TEL and the LTA. “This is not merely a procurement issue; it is a constitutional, reputational, and investor-confidence test.
NUM TEL LIBERIA is stepping into a complex situation,” one expert noted, emphasizing, “The contract NUM TEL seeks to replace remains in force, and until the proper legal procedures are followed, it retains its legitimacy.”
The TIA/LTA concession was originally signed in 2018, amended and ratified by the Legislature in 2022, and published as law by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In October 2024, the Ministry of Justice, under the current Boakai administration, issued a legal opinion affirming the 2022 Amended and Restated TIA Concession as “legal, valid, and enforceable”—a status akin to legislative statute, which can only be invalidated by a court of competent jurisdiction, not by executive order.
Despite this, President Boakai suspended the contract via Executive Order No. 154 on October 31, 2025, citing findings of procurement fraud by the GAC and LACC. While the House of Representatives initially supported the President’s move to de-ratify the contract, the Senate rejected it, warning of the risks of costly arbitration and potential harm to investor confidence.
To resolve the impasse, a Joint Conference Committee reviewed the agreement and the broader framework, recommending renegotiation—not cancellation—and lifting the suspension on TIA.
Against this backdrop, experts are questioning the legal basis for engaging NUM TEL while TIA’s concession remains valid. They urge NUM TEL to seek clear answers publicly before proceeding, warning of potential “impairment of contract and constitutional violation.”
Additional concerns have been raised about NUM TEL LIBERIA, INC.—incorporated in June 2024 by James Sackie, a relatively unknown figure. The company claims expertise in education, consultancy, ICT services, software development, and telecommunications, as well as collaboration with academic institutions for computer education. However, experts question its track record in national-level telecom traffic monitoring, revenue assurance, and anti-fraud systems.
By contrast, TIA’s contract involved installing equipment to monitor voice, data, and mobile-money traffic across Liberia’s networks. Those familiar with the process allege that NUM TEL lacks clear disclosure of ownership, a proven technical track record, and that its selection process was neither transparent nor competitive.
Experts warn that entrusting such a critical national role to an unproven entity raises serious questions. “NUM TEL must be circumspect enough to demand these questions be answered publicly before proceeding,” one expert said. They further cautioned that if the TIA contract granted exclusivity, awarding a parallel deal could constitute a material breach under international arbitration, where tribunals typically disregard domestic political considerations and award “expectation damages” to aggrieved parties.
It is reported that TIA has already received more than US$50 million, and the Senate has warned that canceling the contract could trigger costly arbitration and damage Liberia’s credibility. Arbitration, they note, can “freeze operations for years,” discouraging investment from both the incumbent and any prospective replacement while legal ownership is contested.
One legal expert described NUM TEL’s move as a gamble: “If it steps into TIA’s role without lawful termination of the prior concession, it risks becoming party to a dispute that could stall the entire sector and brand Liberia as a contract risk.”
The Legislature has made clear that the way forward is to renegotiate with TIA and halt any new contracts for the same services while the existing concession remains valid. Nonetheless, it is reported that LTA is pressing ahead with NUM TEL, allegedly in defiance of this mandate.
“Regulatory leadership must be grounded in constitutional compliance, respect for legislative direction, and transparency in public decision-making,” a legal expert advised. “Making a major sector shift outside these guardrails sets a dangerous precedent—where ratified concessions can be bypassed and legislative guidance ignored.”
Given these circumstances, experts urge NUM TEL LIBERIA to pause and insist on three key conditions before moving forward: A court ruling or lawful termination of the TIA concession before any takeover; Full public disclosure of its beneficial owners, technical capacity, and details of the procurement process that led to its selection; And Written confirmation that its engagement aligns with the Joint Conference Committee’s directive—specifically, to renegotiate with TIA, not replace it.
Experts stress that Liberia has worked hard to rebuild investor confidence since the civil conflict, and that a loss in arbitration could signal contract risk, raising the cost of capital for future projects.
They also point to President Boakai’s ARREST agenda, which emphasizes the rule of law as a cardinal principle—protecting the state from bad deals and protecting investors from unpredictable government interference.
While NUM TEL may have ambitions in Liberia’s telecom sector, experts warn that ambition without caution can become a liability. “If the company proceeds blindly into a contested concession, it will not be seen as a reformer, but as a beneficiary of the opacity and irregularity the President claims to be fighting,” one expert argued.
They concluded that Liberia’s telecom sector needs competence, transparency, and adherence to the law, urging NUM TEL to demonstrate its commitment to all three.
