Monrovia, Liberia—Minister of Labor Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr. has offered a number of suggestions to reduce the nation’s high rate of youth unemployment. Speaking on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at an event hosted by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in Monrovia on the subject of Youth Perspective on Liberia’s Future, the Labor Minister stated that the digital economy, creative industries, agriculture value addition, and the unofficial hustler market support the nation’s economy rather than the ground or donor budget.
Minister Kruah emphasized in a statement that Liberia’s youth economic outlook is made up of multiple unique but overlapping pools. He advocated for the creation of zero-collateral enterprise financing for youth empowerment, with three to five guarantors and grace periods. Additionally, the labor minister suggested a separate certification program for young people who excel in digital marketing, solar panel installation, motorcycle repair, and food processing.
He demanded that a cooperative of more than 100 young farmers be given property to lease or use for agricultural production. As part of his ministry’s mission to empower Liberia’s youth, Minister Kruah explained how the Labour Ministry gave vacation jobs to over 300 youth in 2024 and over 1,300 the next year.
Among other things, the labor minister suggested that the central government offer training and a platform that would allow young Liberians living abroad to find remote employment with foreign non-governmental organizations. The forum’s goal was to get opinions from a wide range of Liberians, particularly influential government officials, regarding long-term solutions to the nation’s rising young unemployment rate.
