September 26, 2025
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Liberia: LTA Acquires New Equipment for Liberia Internet Exchange Point

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PublishedFebruary 10, 2025
Liberia: LTA Acquires New Equipment for Liberia Internet Exchange Point

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In a major step toward improving the country’s digital infrastructure, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has acquired a new set of equipment through the Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL) to enhance operations at the Liberia Internet Exchange Point (IXP). The initiative, fully funded by the LTA, is aimed at boosting the efficiency, capacity, and reliability of internet services in Liberia.

At a formal handover ceremony, CCL’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Henry Benson, expressed appreciation to the LTA for its commitment to advancing Liberia’s internet infrastructure.

“The Exchange Point in Liberia has been very resourceful, and I want to say thank you to the administration that has been managing this,” Benson said. “Many times, we get on the internet, browse websites, and access social media without experiencing buffering or high latency. That is because of the work done here at the Exchange Point. However, as we know, technology is constantly evolving, and new developments happen every day.”

According to Benson, the LTA engaged CCL to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing system to determine areas that needed improvement. Based on this evaluation, a budget was formulated, and necessary hardware and software were identified for procurement.

“We worked closely with Commissioner Angela Cassell Bush and the rest of the LTA team to come up with the needed equipment to enhance efficiency, interoperability, and storage capacity at the Exchange Point,” he explained. “We are pleased to say that this equipment, valued at approximately $39,000, including shipping costs, is now ready for use.”

Benson also highlighted that the funding for this acquisition was provided solely by the LTA.

“This equipment is strictly under the auspices of the LTA’s funding–strictly LTA. No other sources. Usually, people think such projects are funded by USAID or the World Bank, but this was made possible entirely by the LTA,” he emphasized. “We hope that as the sector continues to grow, we will have more of such engagements to make our ICT sector stronger and more viable.”

Speaking during the program, Commissioner Angela Cassell Bush, who oversees the international gateway services at LTA, described the investment as a significant step toward strengthening Liberia’s internet infrastructure.

“I see this as a critical investment for the future development of our digital sector,” she stated. “As a board, we have extensively deliberated on the need to pay more attention to critical infrastructure like this and ensure we make the necessary investments to keep it up to date.”

Commissioner Bush also encouraged greater participation from the private sector, emphasizing that while the LTA provided the initial funding, sustaining and expanding the IXP should be a collective effort.

“While it’s essential for the private sector to take the lead, we welcome increased engagement from them,” she said. “Even though the LTA provided the seed money, this is a national project, and it belongs to all of us. This is just the beginning of bigger things to come.”

She further noted that Liberia’s IXP was initially set up in 2015 with support from the African Union (AU), but there had been no major upgrades since then.

“With CCL managing and hosting the system for us, we have benefited greatly. However, to my knowledge, this is the first significant upgrade the system has received since its installation,” Bush revealed. “An efficient IXP allows local networks to exchange traffic directly instead of routing through international hubs, reducing costs and improving speed.”

She urged stakeholders, including internet service providers (ISPs) and private companies, to take greater ownership of the project.

“LTA is just a coordinator. We need to move toward a public-private partnership (PPP) model where the private sector leads the process,” she suggested. “There is enormous potential to generate revenue and improve services for consumers if we make the right investments and take full ownership of our internet infrastructure.”

Also speaking, LTA’s Acting Commissioner Abdullah L. Kamara, underscored the importance of keeping Liberia’s IXP updated with the latest technology.

“Our goal is to ensure that our capacity at the IXP is fully updated with the newest technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs for both operators and end users,” Kamara said.

He pointed out that internet prices tend to increase due to various operational costs, but when prices decrease, the impact is often not as visible.

“The reality is that the sector is extremely sensitive. When things go wrong, it is immediately noticeable. But when things improve, people don’t always see it as clearly,” he remarked. “Our job is to ensure reliable, cost-effective, and efficient internet services for all Liberians.”

Kamara also revealed that LTA is in the process of establishing a dedicated department for Internet Governance, which will oversee infrastructure development, security policies, and regulatory frameworks for internet services in Liberia.

“This shows how seriously we are taking internet governance,” he added. “We are developing new rules and regulations to ensure that the IXP remains secure, efficient, and beneficial to the entire country.”

Despite the recent upgrade, Commissioner Bush acknowledged that there are ongoing challenges that must be addressed to sustain the IXP.

“For instance, CCL is currently hosting the system, and it requires a 24-hour cooling system to maintain optimal conditions,” she said. “Right now, CCL is shouldering the costs, but they should not be the ones financing this alone.”

She called for a discussion among all stakeholders to determine how best to manage the infrastructure moving forward.