“It Will Be the LTA Chasing You” | News

The Liberian youth entrepreneurship ecosystem took center stage in Monrovia today as the Arnold Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment (AYEE) Summit 2026 opened under the theme “From Skills to Enterprise,” drawing government officials, TVET graduates, and development partners for what organizers called the capstone of the Elevate Liberia journey.

Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) Chairman Clarence Massaquoi set the tone with a keynote rooted in his own post-graduation job search, describing the frustration many young Liberians feel when a degree does not translate into employment. He noted that roughly 75 percent of Liberia’s population is 25 or younger, three in every four citizens calling youth “one of the most valued and treasured assets that we have as a country.”

Massaquoi pointed to technology as the great equalizer, allowing young people to build businesses, take courses, and reach customers directly from their phones. He detailed LTA initiatives already underway: connecting 156 public high schools to high-speed internet with the Ministry of Education, a new MOU with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to establish 15 digital hubs across the country’s 15 counties, and a commitment of over $200,000 toward that partnership.

In the speech’s most striking pledge, Massaquoi promised a reversal of roles between the LTA and the organizations it supports: “This year it will not be you running after us. It will be the LTA.” He said the authority would strengthen its partnership with youth institutions “not just by signing papers” but by delivering real resources a commitment he tied directly to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s instruction to serve all Liberians “regardless of their political affiliation, regardless of religion, regardless of tribes.”

Deputy Minister for TVET Larmah S. Nyonton used the platform to formally launch the Elevate Liberia program on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, linking it to President Boakai’s national ARREST Agenda. He highlighted training centers with capacity for more than 2,500 youth per cycle in trades like electricity, plumbing, and fabrication, arguing that skills alone are “only halfway through the journey” without a path to enterprise.

Earlier, AYEE2O26 Chief Convener Emmanuel G. Mulbah welcomed delegates, and provided an overview on behalf of the summit’s partners, framing entrepreneurship as the “missing link” TVET graduates need to convert technical training into job creation. He credited feasibility studies and student conversations for shaping Elevate Liberia’s design, thanking the Mastercard Foundation, LTA, EDC, and other partners for helping bring the program to life.

Day one focused on business showcases and ecosystem engagement. Day two will feature three pitch sessions, fireside chats, and networking, closing with the Wologizi Fund awards recognizing the summit’s top youth-led businesses.