-MCC Team Begins Nationwide Assessment of Priority Electricity Infrastructure as Government Pushes to Unlock Major Investment
MONROVIA – Liberia has taken another significant step toward securing a second compact from the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), with the arrival of an American technical delegation tasked with assessing proposed energy projects expected to underpin the country’s long-term economic transformation.
Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan on Monday, July 20, 2026, welcomed the MCC delegation to formally launch a technical scoping mission for projects proposed under Liberia’s second MCC Compact, reaffirming the Boakai administration’s commitment to meeting all development milestones required to secure the anticipated investment.
The mission, which runs from July 20 to July 28, will evaluate priority energy infrastructure projects through technical assessments and field visits across several counties, laying the groundwork for what could become one of Liberia’s most consequential development partnerships in recent years.
Energy at the Center of Liberia’s Growth Agenda
Speaking during the launch, Minister Ngafuan described the energy sector as indispensable to Liberia’s economic future, emphasizing that expanding access to reliable and affordable electricity remains one of the government’s highest development priorities.
He said sustained improvements in electricity generation and transmission are essential for stimulating private sector investment, expanding industrial production, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for Liberians.
According to the Finance Minister, affordable and dependable electricity serves as the foundation upon which the country’s broader economic transformation agenda must be built.
Ngafuan also expressed appreciation for the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s continued partnership with Liberia and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing the Compact Development process in accordance with MCC’s rigorous standards, technical requirements and implementation timelines.
MCC Begins Technical Due Diligence
The visiting delegation is headed by Jonathan S. Saiger, Senior Operations Advisor in the MCC’s Department of Compact Operations, and includes technical specialists from Tetra Tech, the corporation’s due diligence contractor responsible for conducting technical evaluations of proposed projects.
Saiger acknowledged the progress Liberia has made in strengthening its institutions over the past decade but stressed that the country’s next phase of development will depend heavily on strategic investments in critical infrastructure.
He noted that while governance reforms have created a stronger foundation for development, sustained economic growth will require modern infrastructure capable of supporting businesses, attracting investment and improving public services.
Nationwide Assessment of Transmission Projects
During the eight-day mission, the MCC team will conduct technical scoping exercises and inspect proposed transmission corridors across Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Bomi, Margibi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Bassa Counties.
The site visits are intended to validate project designs, assess engineering feasibility, identify implementation challenges and provide technical recommendations that will shape the final structure of Liberia’s second MCC Compact.
The assessment will also help determine investment priorities aimed at strengthening the national electricity grid, expanding access to underserved communities and improving the reliability of power supply throughout the country.
A Critical Stage in Compact Development
The technical scoping mission represents one of the most important phases in the Compact Development Process, during which MCC experts work alongside Liberian counterparts to ensure that proposed projects satisfy the corporation’s strict economic, engineering, environmental and social standards.
Only projects that demonstrate strong economic returns, technical viability and measurable development impact ultimately advance into the final compact agreement.
Government officials say successful completion of the technical assessments will move Liberia closer to negotiating a second MCC Compact focused primarily on addressing constraints in the country’s energy sector.
Building on Liberia’s MCC Partnership
Liberia’s pursuit of a second compact follows the successful implementation of its first MCC Compact, a US$257 million program signed in 2015 that focused largely on rehabilitating the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, strengthening the electricity sector and improving road maintenance.
The first compact, completed in 2021, restored Liberia’s largest source of renewable electricity, increased generation capacity and supported reforms at the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), significantly improving electricity availability compared with pre-compact levels.
Since becoming eligible for a second compact, Liberia has identified inadequate and costly electricity as one of the country’s most significant constraints to sustained economic growth.
The Boakai administration has repeatedly identified universal access to affordable electricity as a cornerstone of its ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), arguing that expanding energy infrastructure is essential to accelerating industrialization, agricultural processing, digital transformation and job creation.
Partnership Anchored in Long-Term Development
The latest mission underscores the continuing partnership between Liberia and the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which provides large-scale grant financing to countries demonstrating strong commitments to democratic governance, economic freedom and investment in their citizens.
Should the Compact Development Process proceed successfully, the second MCC Compact is expected to mobilize substantial grant financing for transformative energy infrastructure capable of strengthening Liberia’s electricity network and supporting inclusive economic growth for years to come.
For breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive reports from Liberia and around the world, follow The Liberian Post on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576017166570) and X, formerly Twitter (https://x.com/LiberianPost).
