By: Cornelius Robert U-Sayee
We are nearly at the end of 2025 and unemployment remains alarming in Liberia, especially among young Liberian graduates. According to the World Bank latest statistic on Liberia, the unemployment rate among those with advanced education stands at 8%.
I am afraid that if the situation does not positively change, we may soon have a new association called the “Unemployed Graduate Association of Liberia”. Moreover, the situation poses a potential threat to national security and human capital development.
In recent speeches made by top Liberian government officials such as President Boakai, Vice-President Koung and Senator Dillon, they have acknowledged and highlighted the lack of jobs in the country for competent and qualified Liberians. I am aware of the recent endorsement of the National Employment Acceleration Strategy for Youth at the last government cabinet meeting.
However, tangible commitment and implementation have yet to be demonstrated to decisively begin to minimize this menace hovering around Liberia’s nascent democracy.
Today, higher education institutions in Liberia collectively celebrate thousands of graduates each year at conspicuous ceremonies around the country, and most of the commencement speakers at these occasions are often Liberian government officials. Interestingly, they frequently tell graduating students to go into Liberian society and use their new skills to contribute to the rebuilding of post-conflict Liberia and its economy.
But the pertinent question remains, where are the jobs? Where are the industries or factories to absorb young Liberians? For instance, Senator Dillon constructively engaged the Ministry of Labor on several occasions during this year to reevaluate the country foreign workers’ permit system to provide jobs for qualified Liberians who linger daily from government offices to NGO’s offices/premises in search for jobs.
Furthermore, the director of CSA over the last few months has sent names of unemployed qualified Liberians to government ministries and agencies, and many of these individuals are yet to be employed.
Generally, people invest in education with the expectation that they will get a job after their studies. However, this seems not to be the case in contemporary Liberia. Many parents and guardians are still providing basic needs for their children after 12 to 20 years of educational investment.
Some of these providers did not have the opportunity to receive formal education, so they made all the sacrifices to invest in others with the hope of changing the family’s poverty story. However, today, they are frustrated because there is a lack of returns on their investments. In fact, the basic needs of some of these young people are still being provided by struggling parents or guardians.
There seems to be a global understanding that “education is the key to success”. However, it seems that in Liberia, many young people have the “key”, but the “lock” is constantly being changed. Therefore, the Government of Liberia has a vital role to play in ensuring that the “lock” remains constant for all Liberians irrespective of political, tribal or religious affiliations.
It is crystal clear that the Government of Liberia cannot provide jobs for all competent and qualified Liberians. However, the government can create an enabling environment for the employability of young Liberians especially within critical sectors like agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, health, infrastructure, mining and tourism. In these sectors, more Liberians can be employed through a viable, sustainable and stronger public – private partnership that will adequately address the employment gap in the country.
About the Author
Cornelius Robert U-Sayee is a Liberian education specialist, diplomat, and researcher. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration & Management (M.Phil.) from the University of Education, Winneba – Ghana, a MA in Government with emphasis in diplomacy and conflict studies from Reichman University in Israel, and a diploma in Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism from the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, Italy. He can be reached via email: crusayee@gmail.com.
