Boakai CommissionsLiSA Headquarters-Says Strong Standards Key to Consumer Safety and Export Growth

In developing economies where weak regulation can quietly erode public health, undermine exports, and distort markets, the strength of national standards institutions often determines whether growth is sustainable or fragile. Liberia’s persistent struggles with substandard imports, limited product certification, and weak conformity testing have long constrained local industries and consumer protection. Against this backdrop, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s commissioning of the new headquarters of the Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) signals more than infrastructure expansion—it reflects a policy shift toward building a credible national quality system. If effectively implemented, stronger standards enforcement could reshape trade competitiveness, protect consumers, and position Liberia for deeper integration into regional and global markets. THE ANALYST reports.

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Thursday formally commissioned the newly constructed headquarters of the Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA), describing the facility as a critical investment in Liberia’s economic governance architecture and a step toward strengthening product safety, trade competitiveness, and consumer protection.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony, President Boakai said the occasion represented more than the opening of a building, noting that it marked the strengthening of an institution central to Liberia’s economic transformation.

“This is not merely about opening a building; it is about strengthening an institution that is essential to Liberia’s economic transformation,” the Liberian leader said. “Standards are the foundation of a strong economy. They protect our people, support our businesses, and build confidence in our marketplace. A nation that upholds standards builds trust—both at home and abroad.”

President Boakai said the Liberia Standards Authority would now play a transformative role in the country’s growth and development, particularly in addressing longstanding concerns over poor-quality imports and weak regulatory enforcement.

“Enhanced regulation and enforcement will ensure product safety and protect consumers, and it will prevent our local market—long plagued by poor standards—from being flooded with dangerous, low-quality, counterfeit, and unhealthy imports,” he said.

The President added that stronger standards enforcement would also help standardize Liberian products throughout the value chain, making them more competitive in regional and international markets, including under Liberia’s commitments to the World Trade Organization.

“This state-of-the-art facility demonstrates readiness and dedication. It enables the Authority to produce results and support the national quality infrastructure,” he noted.

President Boakai expressed appreciation to the European Union, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and other partners for their collaboration in strengthening Liberia’s institutional capacity.

“To our farmers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and innovators: this institution is your partner. As standards rise, opportunities expand, and when opportunities expand, Liberia prospers,” he said, urging stakeholders to embrace compliance as a pathway to growth.

European Union Ambassador to Liberia, Nona Deprez, described the commissioning of the refurbished LiSA headquarters as a major step toward safer food systems, stronger trade, and broader economic opportunity.

Established in 2022 as a semi-autonomous statutory body, LiSA is mandated to lead national efforts in standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology—functions considered central to building credible food safety and trade systems.

“Its role is central to building a credible food control system that safeguards public health while enabling businesses to compete regionally and internationally,” Ambassador Deprez said.

She noted that the European Union had provided support through the Liberia Food Safety Initiative, implemented in partnership with UNIDO, to help address Liberia’s food safety challenges, promote safe consumption of locally produced goods, and strengthen trade compliance with international standards.

“We stand hand in hand with the Government of Liberia in fostering a conducive business environment and in building a robust food system that protects consumers, facilitates trade, and drives economic growth,” she added.

The EU envoy also noted that the commissioning was timely ahead of the Liberia–EU Business Forum scheduled for February 24–25, 2026, in Brussels, where standards compliance is expected to be a key topic in trade discussions.

Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry said the event marked the strengthening of a national institution essential to economic governance.

“In every marketplace, in every product manufactured or imported, and in every service delivered, standards matter,” she said. “They protect consumers, promote fairness, and create confidence in trade.”

She added that integrating LiSA into Liberia’s regulatory framework would enhance the Ministry’s ability to enforce trade laws consistently and transparently.

“When regulations are applied fairly and consistently, it strengthens the economy, builds trust, and ensures a level playing field for all market actors,” the Minister said, noting that a strengthened LiSA would help reduce technical barriers to trade and attract responsible foreign investment.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Liberia Christine N. Umutoni urged continued collaboration between government institutions, development partners, academia, and the private sector to ensure LiSA achieves accreditation and operates sustainably.

“Food safety is not only a public health matter—it is an economic development issue,” she said. “Reliable testing, inspection, and certification systems protect consumers, strengthen trust in markets, and enable Liberian producers to compete regionally and internationally.”

LiSA Director General Stephen Y. Manbu described the commissioning as the culmination of a deliberate institutional journey.

“It is the transition from a laboratory constrained by circumstance to a statutory authority positioned to serve the Republic of Liberia with professionalism, scientific rigor, and purpose,” he said.

He credited EU-funded initiatives, particularly the Liberia Food Safety Initiative implemented by UNIDO, with helping rehabilitate the facility, stabilize power and water supply systems, and strengthen technical capacity.

“Infrastructure alone does not define an authority. What defines LiSA is its mandate, its professionalism, and its service orientation,” Manbu added.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by senior government officials, representatives of diplomatic missions, private-sector stakeholders, and development partners.

For Liberia, where weak product standards have historically undermined public health and export competitiveness, the strengthening of LiSA is widely viewed as a necessary step toward building a credible national quality system capable of supporting industrial growth, protecting consumers, and expanding trade opportunities.