Published: November 4, 2026
MONROVIA — Lofa County Sen. Momo T. Cyrus has called for a comprehensive legislative investigation into Liberia’s cybersecurity preparedness, warning that rising cyber threats across Africa demand urgent scrutiny of the country’s capacity to safeguard critical national infrastructure, financial institutions, government databases, and essential public services.
Cyrus, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security, Intelligence, and Veterans Affairs, formally requested that the Liberian Senate summon five government institutions to provide detailed briefings on the country’s cybersecurity capabilities, legal frameworks, operational readiness, and institutional coordination.
The institutions include the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), the Ministry of Justice, and the Office of Technology, Digitalization and Innovation (OTDI).
In his communication on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, Cyrus cited the growing sophistication of cyber threats across Africa, particularly in West Africa, as justification for a national assessment of Liberia’s preparedness to prevent, detect, and respond to cyberattacks.
According to the lawmaker, INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment identified online scams, ransomware and business email compromise among the most frequently reported cyber threats affecting the continent.
He said the assessment reported that cyber-related offenses accounted for more than 30% of reported crimes in Western and Eastern Africa, while also documenting incidents affecting government databases and critical infrastructure in other African countries.
However, Cyrus cautioned that the regional findings should not be interpreted as evidence that similar incidents have occurred in Liberia.
Instead, he argued, they demonstrate the importance of conducting a current, evidence-based assessment of the country’s cybersecurity capabilities and vulnerabilities.
“The matter is also directly relevant to Liberia’s own policy and institutional direction,” he told the body. “The Government announced the adoption of its 2026–2036 National Security Strategy, which recognizes technological threats in cyberspace and calls for an integrated security approach”.
The senator also referenced Executive Order No. 163, signed April 22, 2026, which established the Office of Technology, Digitalization and Innovation within the Office of the President.
According to Cyrus, the executive order assigns OTDI a central coordinating role in government-wide digital governance and cybersecurity, while requiring baseline protections for government digital systems in collaboration with the ministries of Posts and Telecommunications and Justice.
He further noted that the LTA identifies licensed telecommunications networks as critical infrastructure and recognizes cybersecurity and incident reporting as important public policy concerns.
Despite these institutional arrangements, Cyrus raised questions about the approval and implementation status of Liberia’s National Cybersecurity Strategy.
He noted that a strategy document hosted by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications is labeled 2025–2029, yet portions of its content reportedly still reference a draft covering 2024–2029 and a July 2024 preparation date.
The senator said the LTA’s public cybersecurity information similarly describes a draft national strategy awaiting consultation, creating uncertainty over the document’s present legal and operational status.
“The Senate should therefore obtain official clarification as to the Strategy’s present approval status, responsible coordinating arrangements, implementation plan, targets and financing, rather than presume formal adoption or implementation,” he said.
Cyrus also recalled that the LTA reported July 4, 2025, that the National Cybersecurity Bill was undergoing Senate committee review, with proposed amendments and a fiscal-impact assessment under consideration.
He stressed that the earlier report does not reflect the legislation’s current status, so relevant institutions must provide updated information.
The Lofa County senator wants the institutions to identify existing cybersecurity laws, regulations and outstanding legislative gaps, including the operational status of any proposed national cybersecurity center or incident-response team.
He also requested detailed explanations of the respective responsibilities of government institutions involved in cybersecurity policy, oversight, cybercrime investigations and emergency response.
Under the proposed hearing, the institutions would be required to explain Liberia’s current cybersecurity threat assessment and measures protecting critical information infrastructure across telecommunications, finance, energy, transportation, health care and government services.
Cyrus further wants clarification on whether Liberia has an operational national or sectoral Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) or Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), including its staffing, technical equipment and capacity to respond to cyber incidents.
Other areas of concern include digital forensic capabilities, threat intelligence, incident-reporting procedures, round-the-clock emergency response, cybersecurity exercises, data backup and recovery systems.
The senator also emphasized the need to examine legal safeguards protecting privacy, constitutional rights and due process during cybersecurity operations and investigations.
He requested information on budgetary allocations, technical assistance, staffing levels, capacity gaps, unfunded priorities and proposed measures to strengthen Liberia’s cybersecurity framework.
Regional and international cooperation, particularly information-sharing, cross-border cybercrime investigations and digital-evidence preservation, would also form part of the proposed legislative scrutiny.
“I further request that each institution submit a written briefing paper and make a presentation supported, as appropriate, by current data, legal references, organizational charts, implementation reports, budget information, incident-response protocols, training records, exercise findings and prioritized recommendations,” Cyrus added.
“Where disclosure of sensitive operational information could compromise security, the Senate may receive that material through a suitable confidential or closed briefing, without diminishing its constitutional oversight responsibilities”.
Cyrus maintained that the proposed engagement is not intended to prejudge the performance of government institutions but to establish their actual level of preparedness and identify areas requiring legislative or financial intervention.
He said the findings would help the Senate determine whether additional laws, budgetary support, institutional reforms or stronger oversight mechanisms are necessary to address emerging cybersecurity challenges.
“Cybersecurity is now inseparable from national security, economic stability, public trust and the safe delivery of essential public and private services,” Cyrus stressed.
Meanwhile, after brief deliberations on the communication, the Senate leadership took charge of the matter for further legislative consideration under the chamber’s standing rules.
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