By: Geeplay Ezekiel Geeplay| Contributing Writer
Monrovia, Liberia | April 22, 2026 | Technicians from Liberia’s telecommunications licensing and regulatory unit have completed an intensive week-long training on Strategic Fiber Optic Infrastructure Deployment and Regulatory Management, in a move expected to strengthen national efforts to expand broadband access and reduce internet costs.
The five-day, face-to-face training, an LTA release said ran from April 13 to 17, 2026, in Abuja, Nigeria. It was organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through its ITU Academy and delivered by the Digital Bridge Institute.
The session brought together telecommunications regulators, policymakers, and industry experts from across ECOWAS member states for practical training, case studies, and policy discussions focused on scaling digital infrastructure.
Liberia’s delegation was led by Senior Economic Regulatory Analyst Kwatama Bettie. The team participated in hands-on sessions designed to equip regulators with tools to design and oversee national fiber rollouts.
According to organizers, the training covered critical areas shaping Africa’s broadband future, including designing National Fiber Infrastructure, a frameworks for planning nationwide backbone and metro fiber networks, strengthening regulatory frameworks by updating licensing, rights-of-way, and spectrum policy to speed up deployment.
Other focus areas included promoting infrastructure sharing and public-private partnerships, a models to cut duplication and lower costs for operators and consumers as well enhancing compliance monitoring and risk management tools for regulators to track build quality, service standards, and investment risks.
Participants also reviewed international case studies and engaged in peer learning sessions, allowing them to benchmark Liberia’s progress against global standards and emerging trends in digital infrastructure development.
The LTA release says, the knowledge gained will directly support ongoing national initiatives aimed at expanding broadband access, reducing the cost of connectivity, and improving Quality of Service (QoS) nationwide.
Fiber optic infrastructure is considered the backbone of high-speed internet. Expanding Liberia’s fiber footprint is key to connecting more schools, clinics, businesses, and rural communities, while lowering wholesale data costs that are often passed to consumers.
“Exposure to international best practice helps us close policy gaps and move faster,” the release noted. “This training strengthens our capacity to regulate and facilitate investment in broadband infrastructure.”
Liberia has prioritized digital transformation under its national development plans, but still faces challenges including limited metro fiber, high reliance on microwave and satellite links, and cost barriers for last-mile connectivity. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) regulates the sector and leads licensing for infrastructure providers.
The ITU Academy is the capacity development arm of the UN specialized agency for ICTs. The Digital Bridge Institute, based in Abuja, is a recognized ITU center of excellence for training in Africa.
The LTA has not yet announced specific policy changes resulting from the training, but said lessons learned will be integrated into ongoing regulatory reviews and broadband expansion projects.
