• Liberia plans to establish 15 digital skills centers to equip young people with technology skills and improve access to employment opportunities.
• The Liberia Telecommunications Authority will provide equipment, Starlink connectivity and fully fund a three-month digital skills program expected to train about 750 young people nationwide.
• The initiative supports Liberia's efforts to address youth unemployment as the World Bank projects that 230 million jobs in Africa will require digital skills by 2030.

Liberian authorities plan to establish 15 digital skills centers across the country. The initiative aims to equip young Liberians with the digital skills, technological tools and employment opportunities they need to succeed in an increasingly digital economy. The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, June 25, to implement the initiative.

Under the agreement, the telecommunications regulator will equip each center with computers, printers, high-speed internet connectivity through Starlink and a one-year internet subscription. The LTA will also fully finance a three-month digital skills training program that is expected to benefit about 750 young people nationwide.

The agreement follows a digital training program for content creators that the authorities organized several weeks earlier. The program trained 150 participants, including comedians, storytellers, challenge creators, reaction video producers and other entertainment-focused content creators, on monetization mechanisms available through Meta and TikTok platforms.

The initiative reflects a broader trend across Africa, where governments increasingly view digital technologies as a tool to reduce youth unemployment. As information and communication technologies continue to expand, labor markets are evolving rapidly. The World Bank estimates that approximately 230 million jobs across Africa will require digital skills by 2030.

According to the African Development Bank's Country Focus Report 2025, Liberia's labor force participation rate stands at 59%, while the official unemployment rate is 3.5%. However, the institution said those figures mask high levels of underemployment and informal employment, particularly among young people and women.

The report added that people aged 15 to 35 who are not in employment, education or training face a higher risk of social exclusion, substance abuse and limited economic prospects.

"The lack of access to appropriate vocational training and employment opportunities for young people limits Liberia's ability to fully harness the potential of its youthful population. Without targeted interventions, these challenges risk perpetuating cycles of poverty and social fragility, thereby hindering national development objectives," the African Development Bank said.

Isaac K. Kassouwi