By Contributing Writer
MONROVIA, Liberia, Aug. 3, 2026 – Questions are mounting over the Liberia Telecommunications Authority’s handling of information relating to NUMBTEL after repeated inquiries reportedly failed to produce basic details about the company’s office location and management structure.
The reported inability to obtain information has raised concerns among observers about transparency, accountability, and regulatory oversight within Liberia’s telecommunications sector.
According to information obtained by Smart News Liberia, several requests were made to LTA officials seeking basic information about NUMBTEL, including the location of its office and the identities of those responsible for managing the company.
However, as of press time, the regulator had reportedly not provided a physical address for the company’s office or information on its management structure.
The report said an inquiry was submitted last week to the LTA’s Head of Communications, Jarsea Burphy, who requested that the questions be sent by email for referral to the appropriate department.
According to the publication, no response had been received by the time of publication.
The reported lack of information has prompted questions about the availability of basic regulatory records concerning a company operating within Liberia’s telecommunications sector.
As the country’s telecommunications regulator, the LTA is responsible for licensing operators, monitoring compliance with applicable regulations, and enforcing industry standards.
Observers argue that information such as a regulated company’s registered office, licensing status, authorized services, and principal officers would ordinarily be expected to be readily available through the regulator.
The absence of that information has fueled public questions about NUMBTEL’s regulatory status and the extent of the LTA’s oversight of the company.
The report also noted that the situation has led to speculation that NUMBTEL may be receiving preferential treatment. However, it acknowledged that there is no publicly available evidence establishing that the LTA is deliberately shielding the company or interfering with regulatory oversight.
It called on the LTA to clarify whether NUMBTEL is a duly licensed or otherwise authorized telecommunications entity, identify the services it is permitted to provide, disclose its registered or operational office, identify its principal officers, and explain which department is responsible for supervising its activities.
The report further urged the regulator to explain why repeated inquiries have reportedly gone unanswered.
It concluded that greater transparency by the LTA would help address public concerns, clarify its regulatory relationship with NUMBTEL, and reinforce confidence that all telecommunications operators are being held to the same regulatory standards.
As of press time, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority had not publicly responded to the specific questions raised in the report.
