Monrovia, Liberia – Beginning on January 1, 2026, Liberia Electricity customers will pay less for electricity as a result of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (LERC) acceptance of a new three-year price structure. In addition to lowering expenses for social and residential consumers, this will open the door for sector expansion and dependability.
On Tuesday in Monrovia, LERC Board Chairman Claude J. Katta made the announcement. According to him, the revised tariffs, which will be in force from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028, are the result of a comprehensive technical review and national consultation process with the aim of achieving a balance between affordability and the financial viability of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
He claims that under the new tariff structure, prepaid and postpaid residential customers will pay 22 cents per kilowatt-hour instead of 24 cents, while social tariff customers who consume 25 kilowatt-hours or less per month will pay 13 cents per kilowatt-hour instead of 15 cents.
Additionally, fixed monthly fees for both residential and commercial customers were lowered by 15.2%, which lessened the strain on homes and companies. “This tariff decision ensures that only prudent and efficient costs are passed on to consumers, while enabling LEC to recover costs, improve service delivery, and invest in critical infrastructure,” Katta said.
The agreed tariffs, he disclosed, are the outcome of six public hearings held between October and November 2025 in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Rivercess, Grand Bassa counties, and Monrovia. The hearings were attended by more than 1,000 stakeholders, including companies, civil society organizations, students, and power users. Over a hundred written replies were reviewed by the Commission.
The LERC Board Chairman clarified that medium-voltage customers, supplied at 22 kV and 33 kV levels, will see a slight increase from 19 cents to 20 cents per kilowatt-hour, reflecting cost structures associated with higher-capacity delivery, even though the majority of customer categories benefited from reductions. Nonetheless, their fixed monthly charge was reduced from $50 to $42.40.
In addition to approving new connection fees at the announcement, LERC’s chairman set single-phase connections at US$70 and three-phase connections at US$340, with exceptions for regions where connection costs have previously been covered by donor-funded projects.
In response, Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, Deputy Managing Director for Operations at LEC, stated that the authorized tariff is “fair, realistic, and forward-looking” and that it will help Liberia achieve its larger objective of industrialization and economic expansion.
He stated that LEC is pursuing full digitalization, which involves setting up SCADA systems to improve data transparency and real-time monitoring. Additionally, Director Gonkerwon issued a harsh warning against electricity theft and announced a zero-tolerance policy backed by tamper-detecting digital metering technology.
The new tariff system was also commended by members of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, who described it as “cost-effective” and a major step toward expanding access to reliable energy nationwide. Unless they are reassessed using LERC’s multi-year tariff approach, the authorized tariffs will stay in effect. On December 19, 2025, a comprehensive tariff decision report is anticipated to be released.
In addition to lowering electricity costs, the decision gives millions of Liberians new hope for dependable electricity as a catalyst for employment, economic expansion, and national advancement.
Reported by: Prince Saah
