By Amos Harris
The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has announced an ambitious plan to dramatically expand electricity access nationwide by increasing customer connections by 74 percent by 2028. However, the plan has immediately sparked widespread debate and criticism regarding the company’s long-standing challenges with reliability, high tariffs, and service delivery.
According to the LEC, the current number of registered customers stands at 355,803. Despite this customer base, power outages, low voltage, and uneven distribution remain common issues, particularly in rural communities where thousands of residents still rely on expensive generators and candles for light.
Speaking recently at a public hearing that was held in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties, Thomas Gonkerwon, LEC’s Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services, outlined the corporation’s projections. He stated that national electricity consumption is forecasted to rise by a significant 154.7 percent, jumping from 374 million kilowatt hours in 2025 to 953 million kilowatt hours in 2028. This surge is expected alongside a 61.4 percent increase in demand.
While the corporation presents these figures as evidence of progress, consumer advocates and civil society organizations warn that such targets are meaningless without tangible improvements in power stability, transparency, and customer service.
“Expanding customer connections without addressing generation capacity, theft, and revenue loss is like pouring water into a leaking bucket,” energy analyst Samuel Johnson told journalists. “The numbers sound impressive, but the system still lacks resilience and accountability.”
At the same hearings, the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) disclosed that it is currently reviewing a new tariff proposal submitted by LEC—one that could significantly impact households and small businesses.
Under the proposed structure:
- The Social Tariff for low-income users would drop by 13.3 percent.
- Non-Residential Prepaid and Postpaid Tariffs would see an increase of 9.1 percent.
- Medium Voltage Tariffs would rise by 5.3 percent.
The LEC argues these adjustments are necessary to offset rising operational costs, including expenses related to fuel and maintenance. Critics, however, insist that tariff hikes must follow visible service improvements—not precede them
The public hearings were attended by more than 200 participants, including civil society groups, local authorities, and business owners. Many expressed deep frustration that LEC’s policies do not reflect the lived experiences of ordinary consumers, especially in rural Liberia.
“LEC rarely announces power outages in advance. Our equipment gets damaged, and there’s no compensation or accountability,” one resident told journalists in Bomi County. “We’ve been hearing promises for years, but nothing changes.”
LERC Commissioners Amara Kamara and Atty. Kla Toomey assured citizens that public consultations will continue in Grand Bassa, Margibi, Rivercess, and Montserrado Counties before any final decision is made. The tariff review is expected to conclude by December 8, 2025, with any approved changes scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Despite several donor-backed energy projects, Liberia’s electricity penetration rate remains one of the lowest in West Africa, with less than 30 percent of the population connected to the national grid. Analysts say the LEC’s new projection mirrors a recurring pattern of “optimistic planning with limited follow-through.”
Liberia’s power sector continues to struggle with outdated infrastructure, management inefficiencies, and heavy reliance on imported power from the CLSG regional transmission line. While the government continues to promote reform efforts, critics argue that the sector remains a major bottleneck to economic growth and job creation.
As the tariff review deadline approaches, Liberians are calling for more than just lofty projections and statistics; they demand reliable, affordable, and transparent power delivery. Until those critical issues are addressed, many say, the LEC’s pledge of “Light for All” will remain little more than an empty slogan.