The chairman Designate of the Board of Commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), has sounded the alarm over what he described as a near-monopoly in Liberia’s telecom sector, currently dominated by Orange Liberia and Lonestar Cell MTN.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on Post and Telecommunications on Monday, July 21, Massaquoi called on lawmakers to back the introduction of new players into the market to spur competition and improve services for consumers.
Massaquoi painted a stark picture of the current telecom environment, which he said is largely dictated by the two dominant providers. He warned that without urgent reforms, consumers would continue to suffer from high prices, limited choices, and poor service delivery. “You have GSM companies that are service providers, MTN and Orange Liberia,” Massaquoi said. “Mr. Chair, I do not want to scare Liberians, but if care is not taken to possibly introduce a third or fourth player, we will do nothing but follow as they demand.”
He emphasized that with only two active providers, there is little to prevent collusion or price-fixing. Drawing comparisons with The Gambia, a smaller country that has managed to sustain more than two telecom companies, Massaquoi argued that Liberia’s market could and should accommodate additional competitors.
Central to his proposal is the introduction of a third or fourth mobile network operator. Massaquoi maintained that such a move would not only lower costs for consumers but also push existing companies to enhance their network performance and customer care. “As it stands, if Orange and MTN decide behind closed doors to charge 25 cents per minute, and we all complain, it changes nothing. We have no other option,” he said. “That’s why a third or fourth operator is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.”
In addition to opening the market, Massaquoi said the LTA must conduct a comprehensive audit of existing licenses, particularly those held by companies that have failed to commence operations. He criticized what he called the “warehousing” of spectrum, where firms hold onto valuable telecommunications frequencies without providing services. Massaquoi pledged that if confirmed, the LTA under his leadership would reclaim and reassign dormant licenses to enable new entrants. “If I gave you a license—meaning I’ve given you my frequency—and you’re keeping it without operating, that’s warehousing,” he said.
Another key component of Massaquoi’s reform strategy involves reviving the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC), a public entity that has long struggled with relevance and profitability. Massaquoi suggested that LTC could be transformed into a viable third operator through strategic investment or a public-private partnership. “LTC is most often seen as a liability—it generates no profit because it lacks capital,” he noted. “But if we retrieve dormant licenses and allow a new operator to either buy shares from LTC or launch operations under a PPP, then LTC could become a viable third player.”
Support for Massaquoi’s vision came from members of the Senate, including Grand Kru County Senator Numene T.H. Bartekwa, who agreed that the telecom market’s current structure has failed to meet public expectations.
“The two companies have not met the satisfaction of the people,” Bartekwa said. “We must begin to look at how to improve access, quality, and affordability in this essential sector.”
Massaquoi ended his appearance with a commitment to data-driven regulatory action.
He said the LTA would rely on market studies and consumer feedback to ensure that reforms lead to better outcomes, including wider digital access, fairer prices, and improved service delivery.
If confirmed, he said the incoming Board will prioritize opening up the sector to competition and maximizing the benefits of telecommunications for the Liberian people.
