By By: Staff Writer
Monrovia, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has taken a decisive step to cushion electricity consumers by issuing Executive Order No. 157, granting tax exemptions to the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) on key power-related imports.
The Executive Order removes customs duties and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on equipment, materials, and fuel used for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. The move is intended to lower LEC’s operating costs and help sustain the supply of electricity at more affordable rates for households and businesses across Liberia.
LEC has been grappling with mounting external market pressures, particularly the rising cost of procuring, transporting, storing, and using fossil fuels such as Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). These challenges have placed strain on the utility’s finances and threatened efforts to keep electricity tariffs stable, even as the corporation works to expand hydroelectric production at the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Facility.
President Boakai acknowledged that taxes imposed on essential petroleum products and power equipment have become a volatile cost burden, one that could further weaken LEC’s financial standing and translate into higher electricity prices for consumers if left unaddressed.
Through Executive Order No. 157, the government signals its commitment to strengthening LEC’s operational and financial efficiency, accelerating the shift toward greater reliance on hydroelectric power, and shielding the public from avoidable tariff increases.
The Executive Mansion said the measure aligns with the government’s broader goal of guaranteeing reliable, sustainable, and affordable electricity—viewed as a critical pillar for national development and economic growth in Liberia.
