Published: October 30, 2026
MONROVIA — A House committee has suspended its review of a proposed US$52 million concession to build Liberia’s national digital identity and civil registry system. Lawmakers found the contract submitted to them lacked the signatures of the concessionaire’s chief executive and a key Liberian official, and three agencies central to the deal failed to appear.
By Blamo N. Toe
The House Committee on Investment and Concessions halted Wednesday’s hearing and rescheduled it for Nov. 4, directing all concerned institutions and parties to attend with explanations and documents.
Montserrado County District 12 Rep. Jerry K. Yorgbor told the hearing that the agreement lacked the signatures of Claudia Schwendimann, chief executive officer of OeSD International GmbH, the proposed concessionaire, and of Clarence Massaquoi, chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority. Lawmakers also questioned National Investment Commission Chairman Molley Kamara over what they said were inconsistencies in the documents submitted for ratification.
No evidence was presented at the hearing of wrongdoing behind the missing signatures, and the reason for them has not been explained.
The Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, the Liberia Immigration Service and the National Security Agency did not send representatives. Their absence left lawmakers unable to question the agencies responsible for procurement compliance, immigration records and national security on a system that would hold citizens’ personal data.
The concession is structured as a build, operate and transfer arrangement. The concessionaire would develop and run a centralized digital civil registry and vital statistics system before handing it over to the government under the terms of the agreement.
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