President Joseph Boakai Wednesday pledged to double the size of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) by the end of 2029, announcing a four-year recruitment drive that will add 600 new personnel each year beginning in 2026.
Speaking at the 69th Armed Forces Day at Barclay Training Center in Monrovia Boakai said the planned intake — 2,400 recruits in total — is intended to address “high attrition rates to ensure the AFL “remains youthful, dynamic, and capable of responding to both traditional and emerging security threats.”
The current size of the army is estimated at 2,000. The recruitment plan could take the number of service member to around 4,000 if executed successfully.
Boakai framed the expansion as part of a broader effort to strengthen Liberia’s role in regional security.
He thanked Nigerian and U.S. support to the military and underscored Liberia’s commitment to cooperation with West African partners confronting instability in the Sahel.
The president warned of terrorism and transnational threats, saying the region must remain vigilant against the spread of militant Islamist activity and other destabilizing forces.
“The strength of our military lies not only in its training and equipment, but also in the physical and mental welfare of its personnel,” Boakai said, outlining plans to renovate barracks in Bomi and Maryland counties in addition to recently completed projects in Margibi and Nimba.
He also pledged to work with the Ministries of State and Public Works on assessments and construction and welcomed ECOWAS support for a mental health facility at the 14 Military Hospital.
Low morale and retention have been cited by the president as drivers of the recruitment push. Boakai acknowledged “invisible wounds” — trauma, stress and psychosocial challenges — that affect soldiers and their families, and highlighted plans to operationalize mental health services and improve living conditions as part of efforts to reduce attrition and improve readiness.
The president also noted initiatives to increase female representation in the AFL, praising an ELSIE Foundation commitment to that goal and noting that his defense minister is the country’s first woman to hold the post.
He said the Ministry of National Defense will coordinate with other government agencies to fund recruitment, infrastructure and welfare projects.
“A soldier who is dignified at home will defend our nation abroad,” he said, calling on Liberians to back the investment in the armed forces as central to national and regional security.
Analysts say the scale-up will require sustained financing, expanded training capacity and investment in retention measures to be effective.
