By Paul M. Kanneh & Joy Mardea Moore
The Government of Liberia in collaboration with development partners has officially launched the Third National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). NSDS is a five-year roadmap expected to guide the country’s statistical development agenda from 2026 to 2030.
The strategy was formally launched on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, marking a significant milestone in Liberia’s commitment to strengthening its national statistical system.
The new NSDS builds on the achievements of the first phase (2016–2021) and the second phase (2021–2026), reinforcing the government’s resolve to promote evidence-based policymaking, transparency, and accountability in national development.
The launch, spearheaded by the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), underscores the importance of coordinated, high-quality, and internationally comparable data in guiding economic management and development planning. The strategy aligns with global statistical standards, including the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA), ensuring consistency and credibility in national reporting, officials of LISGIS said.
The launching program was also used to present important national data from mining, agriculture, trade, economy, etc. Presentation on recent data (2024 Annual National Accounts Newsletter) indicate that Liberia’s economy demonstrated resilience between 2016 and 2022 despite significant shocks.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices increased from US$3,205 million in 2016 to US$4,562 million in 2022. Real GDP growth was robust in 2017 (5.48%) and 2018 (5.44%), before contracting in 2019 (-2.42%) and 2020 (-3.57%) largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy rebounded in 2021 (2.36%) and 2022 (0.86%), signaling gradual recovery.
A comparison of GDP estimates shows similar overall trends between earlier Government of Liberia figures and the latest LISGIS estimates. However, some variations were observed. The revised LISGIS estimates indicate higher growth rates in earlier years compared to previously available government figures, while both sets of estimates reflect similar trends for 2019 and 2020. In contrast, the 2021 and 2022 LISGIS estimates show slightly lower growth rates than those earlier reported by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
This comparison, LISGIS officials said, highlights the importance of continuous methodological improvements and updates to ensure the accuracy and reliability of national accounts. GDP per capita rose from L$69,023 (US$727) in 2016 to L$133,099 (US$869) in 2022, reflecting steady improvement in income levels over the period.
Between 2016 and 2022, the services sector remained the dominant contributor to GDP, accounting for an average of 58.8%. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing contributed about 20%, while industry and construction accounted for approximately 15%. Net taxes on products averaged 6% of GDP.
On the expenditure side, Final Consumption Expenditure (FCE) remained the largest component of GDP, averaging 104.5%. Household consumption accounted for 90.9% of GDP, government consumption stood at 13.2%, Gross Fixed Capital Formation averaged 17.1%, and net exports remained negative at -21.9%, underscoring Liberia’s import-dependent economic structure.
According to the 2025 Liberia External Trade Report, exports of goods totaled approximately US$2.1 billion between January and December 2025, while imports reached about US$2.6 billion, resulting in a cumulative trade deficit.
Gold dominated Liberia’s export basket in 2025, valued at approximately US$1.18 billion and accounting for 66.2% of total exports. Iron ores and concentrates followed at US$338.2 million, with rubber, vegetable oils, diamonds, and other products contributing smaller shares.
Switzerland accounted for 64.2% of Liberia’s total exports, and the top ten destination countries collectively represented 93% of export earnings, highlighting a highly concentrated export structure.
On the import side, China, Turkey, and India emerged as the leading suppliers, with imports dominated by petroleum products, food staples, and vehicles.
The 2025 Informal Cross-Border Trade Survey conducted across 197 border points revealed significant informal trade flows, with women accounting for 56.4% of informal traders. The majority of traders are aged between 25 and 44 years, with Lofa and Nimba counties accounting for the highest shares.
Additionally, findings from the National Establishment Census (NEC) 2023 recorded 64,121 establishments nationwide, employing 149,317 people. About 77.7% of establishments are Liberian-owned, with 63% operating in the formal sector and 37% in the informal sector.
The Third NSDS (2026–2030) aims to modernize statistical infrastructure, strengthen digital systems, address data gaps, and improve coordination among institutions. “By enhancing the quality, timeliness, and accessibility of official statistics, the strategy will support national development planning and informed decision-making”, LISGIS officials noted.
LISGIS Director General, Richard F. Ngafuan, marking remarks said, Liberia must decide to governs on guesswork or by evidence. According to him, when he took over LISGIS in 2024, he was very clear that statistics must not not sit on the shelves; they must sit at the center of natonal decision making, noting, “as I speak to you, LISGIS data has been used for the formulation of the ARREST Agenda for inclusive development, espeically the monitoring and evaluation feramwork of the ARREST Agenda”.
“When I assumed the leadrship of LISGIS, I was clear about one principle, satistics must not sit on the shelves, they must sit at the center of natonal decision making. And as I speak to you, LISGIS data has been used for the formulation of the ARREST Agenda for inclusive development, espeically the monitoring and evaluation feramwork of the ARREST Agenda”, the LISGIS boss said.
With the NSDS, Director Ngafuan said Liberia will measure the reality, honesty, manages its resoruces wisely, and plan its futrue deliberately. To implement the NSDS, Liberia will need a little over US$ 48 millions.
The launch of the Third NSDS on February 18, 2026, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex signals a renewed national commitment to placing data at the center of governance and development. As Liberia advances its economic recovery and long-term growth agenda, credible statistics will remain the backbone of sound policy and sustainable transformation.
