With an Internet penetration rate of 33.63% in 2021, Liberia is gearing up to accelerate its digital transformation. To achieve this, the country needs strong allies it can count on.

At a workshop held on Tuesday, September 12 under the theme "Building a Digital Liberia- Bridging Vision and Transformation for Unleashing Future Development," the World Bank announced that it will support Liberia's digitization efforts to drive meaningful growth and development.

The UN organization will harness the power of technology to drive innovation, improve governance, and create economic opportunities for all Liberians, says Georgia Wallen, World Bank Country Director for Liberia.

"We’ll assess Liberia’s digital transformation journey and also look ahead — what can Liberia’s digital transformation economy look like in the future? [...] So, this is not only about adopting technology that is sustainable and benefits all but rather creating an entirely digital environment that is inclusive," she added.

The country is lagging in the digital transformation process compared to other African countries. However, it intends to catch up in this sector. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union, the country's Internet penetration rate is steadily rising. From 18.9% in 2018, it reached 33.63% in 2021.

For Worlea Saywah Dunah, Liberia's Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, the workshop is in line with the government’s strategy to transform the Liberian economy and enhance social development. 

Social and economic development are the visions “ we aspired to as a nation in developing a vibrant ICT sector and this vision is captured in the President’s flagship agenda, which is called the PAPD. We are beginning to work with stakeholders in the sector and development partners to develop a 5-year national digital transformational agenda that will meet the best ICT standards through which we can achieve social and economic development as enshrined in the PAPD,” he said 

Adoni Conrad Quenum