from our Monrovia contributors
MARGIBI COUNTY – The landscape of Liberia’s blue economy shifted significantly on Monday as the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) secured two pivotal agreements during the opening of the National Fisheries Investment Conference, Kpongama 2026.
Hosted at the Farmington Hotel, the conference’s first day was marked by the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Orange Money Liberia and Electrans Limited. These partnerships are designed to modernize the sector through digital financial integration and the expansion of critical coastal infrastructure.
A Digital Leap for Coastal Communities
In a move to phase out manual transactions and increase financial transparency, NaFAA Director General J. Cyrus Saygbe, Sr. and Orange Money Liberia CEO Laurent Koffi-Bah finalized a one-year renewable strategic partnership.
Under this agreement, Orange Money becomes the primary digital payment platform for all NaFAA operations. This transition targets several key areas:
- Streamlined Revenue: Digital collection of official fees and “Fish Market Day” transactions.
- Fisherman Safety: The Orange Liberia network will host an early warning system, providing real-time alerts to fishermen at sea.
- Financial Inclusion: Extending banking-style services to artisanal fishing communities in remote coastal areas.
Beyond payments, Orange Money will provide high-quality internet for major events and launch SMS awareness campaigns. The telecommunications giant will also hold priority branding rights for nationwide projects, including the upcoming artisanal canoe marking exercises across Liberia’s nine coastal counties.
Revitalizing the Robertsport Landing Cluster
Addressing the need for physical modernization, NaFAA also entered a formal agreement with Electrans Limited. Signed by Mr. Harry Waitembery, the MoU focuses on the Robertsport Landing Cluster in Grand Cape Mount County.
The partnership tasks Electrans Limited with conducting:
- Preliminary assessments of current facilities.
- Feasibility evaluations for operational expansion.
The goal of this project is to transform the Robertsport site into a fully operational, modern hub for fish processing and storage, significantly reducing post-harvest losses for local fishers.
Why It Matters
The Kpongama 2026 conference aims to position Liberia as a competitive player in the regional fisheries market. By combining digital financial tools with infrastructure feasibility studies, NaFAA is signaling a shift toward a more transparent, data-driven, and investor-friendly maritime sector.
“These agreements mark a significant step toward strengthening digital financial systems and advancing critical fisheries infrastructure in Liberia,” the authority noted in an official statement.
As the conference continues, industry stakeholders are watching closely to see how these “landmark” agreements will translate into tangible economic growth for the thousands of Liberians who depend on the Atlantic for their livelihoods.