MONROVIA – Officials of the United States Embassy in Liberia and the National Identification Registry are planning a solution-oriented roundtable discussion aimed at addressing challenges surrounding Liberia’s national identification system and improving access to identity services for citizens and foreign residents.
The planned engagement follows the Liberian Government’s decision in late 2025 to suspend the issuance of National Identification Cards and pause the enforcement of Executive Order No. 147, which mandated the use of biometric national IDs for access to public and financial services.
The suspension came amid growing public frustration over technical delays, long queues, and reports of irregularities at registration centers. The decision affected the implementation of Executive Order 147, which required the use of National ID Cards for services including bank account openings, SIM card registration, and access to public benefits.
At the time, the government instructed public service providers to comply with the temporary measures while assuring the public that a new date for the resumption of mass enrollment would be announced.
Several months after the suspension, many ordinary Liberians and foreign residents continue to face challenges conducting business transactions and accessing essential services that require national identification.
Against this backdrop, officials from the U.S. Embassy on Friday paid a working visit to the headquarters of the National Identification Registry in Congo Town to explore ways of supporting reforms within the country’s identity management system.
Speaking during the visit, U.S. Embassy Economic Counselor Sara L. Horner said the purpose of the engagement was to help organize a broad-based roundtable discussion involving key stakeholders in Liberia’s identity management sector.
According to her, the discussion will seek to understand the underlying reasons behind the prolonged closure of enrollment activities and identify practical solutions to restore public access to identification services nationwide.
Horner emphasized that the U.S. Embassy believes a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach offers the best pathway toward addressing the country’s identity infrastructure challenges.
She noted that the proposed roundtable would bring together institutions responsible for identity management and verification in Liberia to share perspectives, identify gaps in the current system, explore international best practices, and develop actionable recommendations.
“The roundtable would provide a forum for stakeholders to share perspectives, identify gaps in the current system, explore best practices, and develop actionable solutions that can be implemented collaboratively,” Horner stated.
She added that the U.S. Embassy remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at strengthening Liberia’s identity infrastructure, including the provision of technical assistance where necessary.
For his part, NIR Executive Director Andrew Peters welcomed the Embassy’s engagement and pledged the institution’s willingness to work closely with international partners to address the ongoing challenges.
Director Peters disclosed that the Liberian Government is currently negotiating a Public-Private Partnership concession agreement with Osterreichische Staatsdruckerei International, an international identity solutions and printing company with extensive experience in biometric identity systems.
According to Peters, once all documentation and agreements are finalized, the government will relaunch the enrollment process, with approximately 3.6 million Liberians expected to be enrolled free of charge, while members of the working class will be required to pay applicable service fees.
He further revealed that the NIR plans to establish a dedicated ambassadorial service window at its headquarters to facilitate services for individuals serving in diplomatic and foreign missions.
The U.S. Embassy delegation included Economic Counselor Sara L. Horner and Political Officer Christopher M. Hofmann.
At the conclusion of the visit, NIR officials conducted a guided tour of the facility for the delegation, including the institution’s Technical Department and Enrollment Service Center.
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