By Amos Harris
MONROVIA – The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has announced an ambitious plan to recruit and train 650 new personnel by February 2026, a move the Ministry of National Defense deems critical to strengthening the country’s security apparatus.
The disclosure was made on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing by Dr. Larmin, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Defense. He stated the new intake is intended to significantly boost the AFL’s manpower and improve professionalism as part of broader reforms to modernize the military.
“This exercise is crucial to strengthening the capacity of our army in Liberia,” Dr. Larmin told journalists. “We want to make sure the AFL continues to stand as a disciplined, professional, and representative national force.”
According to the Ministry, the recruitment drive will be open to applicants from all 15 counties, with clear educational, physical, and moral standards set as requirements. Officials have also promised transparency, merit-based selection, and inclusivity in the process.
Skepticism over Sustainability and Bias
Despite the Ministry’s pledge, analysts and civil society organizations are raising red flags about the timing and credibility of the exercise.
Liberia has historically faced allegations of nepotism and favoritism in public sector hiring, leading critics to warn that the AFL recruitment could fall prey to the same political interference. Others point to the country’s ongoing economic struggles, questioning whether the government has the financial capacity to train, equip, and sustain such a large number of new recruits within less than two years.
“The AFL needs to expand, but we must be careful not to repeat past mistakes where numbers were prioritized over quality and sustainability,” one security expert cautioned. “Without adequate budgetary support, the army risks overextension.”
Since its post-conflict restructuring in 2006 with international support, the AFL has earned praise for its professionalism and role as a unifying national institution. It has even participated in international peacekeeping missions, a notable achievement for a force once associated with Liberia’s brutal civil conflicts.
However, critics argue that while the AFL has made gains in discipline and training, it continues to struggle with logistical and operational shortfalls. Border security, mobility, and infrastructure remain major weaknesses that cannot be solved by manpower increases alone.
“Adding 650 soldiers is a positive step, but without the right resources and long-term planning, we risk swelling the ranks without fixing the systemic problems,” a civil society leader said.
The Ministry of Defense insists that the recruitment is part of a carefully structured plan to modernize Liberia’s defense sector. Yet, skepticism persists over whether the government can realistically meet its ambitious target by the February 2026 deadline.
For many Liberians, the AFL remains a source of national pride. But as the recruitment deadline approaches, the question remains whether this initiative will produce a stronger and more credible defense force or whether it risks becoming another unfulfilled promise in the nation’s long struggle to build a reliable security system.
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