Liberia’s labour sector endured one of its worst crises in decades in 2025, as corruption, weak enforcement, and political interference eroded worker protections and displaced thousands of qualified Liberians from jobs legally reserved for them. These findings are contained in the Annual Labour Report 2025 released by the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA), led by labour policy expert George S. Tengbeh.
The report indicts the Ministry of Labour for abandoning its mandate to defend workers’ rights, instead functioning as a revenue-driven institution captured by political interests. At the center of the crisis is the foreign work permit system, described as having “collapsed into an unregulated marketplace,” enabling thousands of foreign workers to occupy positions without skills-gap analysis or proof that Liberians were unavailable.
Official data show 10,974 foreign permits issued in 2024, generating nearly US$9 million. Civil society investigations revealed that 70 percent of these permits covered jobs reserved for Liberians. Rather than correcting the trend, LILGA says the situation worsened in 2025.
The report alleges senior officials transformed the permit system into a “permit-for-sale cartel.” Waivers meant for rare exceptions became routine, while under-the-table payments replaced transparent fees. A new US$3,000 permit fee introduced in September 2025 generated US$7.1 million in four months, yet accountability and remittance to the Liberia Revenue Authority remain unclear.
“The Ministry has effectively become the government’s most aggressive revenue arm, but without transparency,” the report warns.
Under pressure, the Ministry announced a nationwide audit in June 2025. Out of thousands of suspected irregular permits, only 19 were revoked. No methodology, sectoral breakdown, or recovered funds were disclosed. LILGA concluded the audit was largely a public relations exercise.
To quantify performance, LILGA introduced a Labour Governance Scorecard. The Ministry received an “F” in foreign permit regulation, audit enforcement, worker protection, and child labour response. Transparency earned a “D.” Revenue generation scored A+, but revenue management was marked by allegations of diversion and weak remittance.
“The scorecard confirms what workers experience daily,” the report notes. “This is not isolated mismanagement; it is institutional collapse.”
At Bong Mines, a Liberian worker reportedly lost four toes due to unsafe conditions under China Union and subcontractor Bangli PTE Ltd. Inspectors were blocked from investigating. Bangli later secured 42 permits for Chinese technicians without job descriptions or vacancy announcements.
At Orange Liberia’s construction site in Grand Bassa, Sigma Group housed 64 workers in a three-bedroom apartment without electricity or sanitation. On site, there were no toilets, first aid, or protective gear.
“These are not isolated incidents,” LILGA argues, “but symptoms of systemic neglect and impunity.”
The Ministry itself is plagued by dysfunction: staff endured months of unpaid salaries, ghost names proliferated, and bribes were allegedly demanded for payroll placement. Ethnic favoritism sidelined qualified inspectors, creating parallel authority structures were loyalty outweighed competence.
The crisis has fueled unemployment, workplace abuse, and economic leakages, undermining Liberia’s development prospects. Jobs ranging from engineering to security are increasingly held by foreigners, eroding public confidence.
LILGA recommends a forensic audit, cancellation of illegal waivers, prosecution of corrupt officials, and creation of an independent Alien Work Permit Authority. It also calls for digital permit systems linked to the LRA, stronger unions, and ethnic-neutral recruitment.
Worker protests across Bong Mines, the National Port Authority, Firestone, Monrovia Breweries, and the Liberia Electricity Corporation underscore rising resistance.
“A reformed Ministry of Labour is not just an administrative necessity,” the report concludes. “It is a national imperative.”
