MONROVIA – The slogan nearly two decades years ago was, “Small Light Today, Big Light Tomorrow”. It seems the period of the ‘big light’ is nigh, after all of successive governments’ struggles with rampant power theft, and the citizens’ nightmare and patience with unbridled power outages, delayed connections, transformers and meters scarcity. By 2024, it all accumulated into progress and achievement, as the country is adjudged a “top performer” by Africa Development Bank’s Electricity Regulatory Index – a surprise but powerful feat announced by the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC). The Analyst reports.
The Board of Commissioners of Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) has announced a giant leap Liberia has made in its electricity sector – achievement and progress assessed and reported by a major donor and partner, the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
Making the announcement via a press release, Acting Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), Atty. Kla-Edward Toomey, II, said Liberia has advanced in the AfDB Electricity Regulatory Index rankings, something he said “underscores the country’s continued commitment to electricity sector reform and the implementation of effective regulatory practices.”
He said the country ranked among the top performers in the African Development Bank’s 2024 Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI), highlighting the country’s growing impact, sustained reforms, and strong political commitment to advancing the power sector.
The just released Index, which was unveiled during the 2025 Africa Energy Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, indicates that Liberia achieved a score of “0.800” and moved up one position from 10th in 2022 to 9th place among 43 participating African countries.
The ERI evaluates a country’s electricity regulator in three key areas: Regulatory Governance, Regulatory Substance, and Regulatory Outcomes.
The 2024 edition of the ERI focused on service delivery and utility performance showing the most notable improvements continent-wide.
Announcing the achievement, Atty. Tooomey said, “We are encouraged by this recognition and remain committed to deepening regulatory efficiency, transparency, and collaboration across all levels of the sector. This ranking is a milestone achievement for the electricity sector of Liberia.”
He said the LERC is motivated to continue on this path and support the country’s vision for a reliable, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive electricity supply.
The ERI, launched by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2018, is now in its seventh edition. It is composite index measuring the development of electricity sector regulatory frameworks across African countries.
The ERI evaluates regulatory governance, substance and outcomes.
Liberia’s rise in the ERI is part of a steady upward trend amongst 43 participating African countries, LERC release noted.
In just three years, according to the release, the country has climbed from 37th place in 2021, to 10th in 2022, and now 9th in 2024, reflecting the successful implementation of policy reforms, stakeholder engagement initiatives, and capacity-building efforts.
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