Liberia: Liberia's Economy Grew 5.1%, but World Bank Says Jobs Lag

What the report says

Liberia's economy expanded by 5.1% in 2025, according to a World Bank Group assessment launched in Monrovia and reported by The Liberian Investigator via AllAfrica. The report says mining was the main driver of growth, with output in that sector rising 17%, while services also advanced and agriculture slowed. Despite the stronger headline growth, the bank argues that Liberia still needs more job creation and better-quality employment if growth is to reduce poverty and improve living standards.

The update, the World Bank Group's seventh on Liberia, says the country’s external position remains fragile. It notes that international reserves covered about 1.6 months of imports at the end of 2025, a level the bank says leaves the economy exposed to outside shocks. The report also says inflation stayed contained, helped by tight monetary policy, a relatively stable exchange rate and moderate global food and fuel prices.

On the public-finance side, the report says Liberia's fiscal deficit narrowed and public debt declined slightly. It also highlights state-owned enterprises as an important but risky part of the economy, calling for stronger oversight, transparency and financial reporting. The bank says Liberia should preserve macroeconomic stability, remove barriers to private investment, improve enterprise governance and widen opportunities for productive work.