Published: June 26, 2026
MONROVIA – The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) is intensifying its nationwide cybersecurity awareness campaign, warning that rising cyber threats, online abuse and weak digital safety practices are exposing more Liberians to fraud, identity theft and other online risks, while encouraging greater technology education and increased participation of women and girls in the digital sector.
Speaking Thursday on ELBC’s morning talk show, LTA Commissioner for International Gateway Services Angela Cassell Bush said cybersecurity has become a national concern that extends beyond information technology professionals and affects every internet user.
“At the LTA, we have a slogan: ‘Cybersecurity is Everybody’s Business.’ It affects all of us,” Bush said. “Cybersecurity is essentially the protection of our digital ecosystem, our internet space and the protection of our data.”
Bush said the increasing use of smartphones, social media platforms, online banking and digital financial services has made the protection of personal information more important than ever.
“Our data are transmitted through various institutions, businesses and government agencies. We want to make sure that the information we entrust to these institutions is protected,” she said. “Many people have banking details and other personal information on their phones, and we must ensure that these are safeguarded.”
She cautioned Liberians against using weak and easily guessed passwords, warning that poor online security habits continue to expose users to cybercrime, hacking and identity theft.
The commissioner also raised concerns over the growing misuse of social media, saying cyberbullying, online harassment and public humiliation are becoming increasingly common and undermine the positive purpose of digital platforms.
“You go online and have people attacking each other, humiliating each other, and that is not the purpose of our internet or digital space,” Bush said. “We want to discourage that behavior.”
Bush said the awareness campaign is part of the LTA’s nationwide Cyber Marathon initiative, launched in Grand Bassa County last year to educate citizens about cybersecurity threats and responsible internet use.
The Authority is now expanding the campaign to reach more vulnerable groups, particularly women, children and young people across the country.
“We said at that time that we were going to go around the country to bring awareness, and on Tuesday, June 30, we will be in Bong County to bring the touch of cyber awareness to the people of Bong County,” she said.
The program will be held at Government Methodist High School, where students from grades six through nine will participate in sessions on online safety, cyber threats and practical ways to protect themselves while using digital technology.
Bush said the LTA deliberately shifted its focus toward younger students because it wants cybersecurity awareness to become part of children’s digital habits before they reach adulthood.
“We want this message to resonate among this generation of internet and social media users,” she said. “Once the seniors graduate, we want those coming behind them to continue carrying the message.”
The outreach will feature panel discussions, local cybersecurity specialists and virtual presentations by international technology experts. According to Bush, the Bong County Senator has also accepted an invitation to address participants.
Beyond promoting online safety, Bush said the LTA is using the campaign to encourage more girls and young women to pursue careers in science, technology and innovation.
She disclosed that participating schools are being encouraged to send significantly more female students than male students to expose more girls to opportunities in the technology sector.
“We want our women and girls to know that there are other careers they can explore,” Bush said. “Technology should be an option. There should be no reason why you have a small percentage of females in the field while the majority are boys.”
“Nursing is good. Cooking is good. But there are also opportunities in technology, and we want young women to see that they can succeed in those careers as well,” she added.
Bush said the LTA is also working closely with schools, county education authorities and the Ministry of Education to strengthen digital learning opportunities and improve access to technology nationwide.
According to her, the Authority intends to maintain engagement with schools after awareness programs to monitor progress and identify additional ways to strengthen cybersecurity education and digital literacy.
She further disclosed that the LTA is collaborating with internet service providers, including Starlink and other partners, to expand internet connectivity in schools and improve access to digital learning resources.
While some schools have already benefited from donor-supported internet and technology projects, Bush acknowledged that many of those resources remain underutilized because of infrastructure limitations and inadequate technical capacity.
“We want to ensure that schools are properly connected and have the capacity to make full use of the technology available to them,” she said.
Bush revealed that the Authority is preparing to launch Starlink internet services at a high school in Maryland County as part of efforts to provide reliable internet access and expand educational opportunities for students.
Looking ahead, she urged Liberia to begin integrating cybersecurity, internet governance and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence into the national education curriculum.
“There is something that we need to start thinking about,” Bush said. “Not only to avert potential threats, but also so that students understand the opportunities that exist in technology and the careers they can pursue in the future.”
She said introducing cybersecurity and AI education at an early stage would help equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in an increasingly digital global economy.
For the LTA, Bush emphasized, the objective goes beyond protecting users from cyber threats. It is about building a digitally informed generation capable of using technology safely, responsibly and productively while expanding opportunities for women and young people throughout Liberia.
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