Published: March 4, 2026
MONROVIA — The Liberian government has transferred responsibility for driver’s licensing and vehicle registration from the Ministry of Transport to Liberia Traffic Management Inc. (LTMI), marking a major restructuring of the country’s transport sector and redefining the ministry’s role as a regulatory authority.
The change, which took effect March 1, was announced Tuesday in a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Service Agency (CSA), ending months of uncertainty over which entity would oversee the licensing and registration system.
Under the new arrangement, LTMI will manage the operational and transactional components of issuing driver’s licenses and registering vehicles, while the Ministry of Transport will retain authority over policy development, regulation, compliance monitoring and enforcement.
The statement, signed by Transport Minister Sirleaf R. Tyler and CSA Director General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., described the change as part of a broader reform effort aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening technological integration and enhancing service delivery in Liberia’s transport system.
“The reform creates a clear separation between service delivery and regulatory supervision, enabling stronger accountability and improved performance oversight,” the statement said.
Ministry shifts to regulatory role
As part of the restructuring, several divisions within the Ministry of Transport have been reorganized to reflect the ministry’s new focus on policy and regulatory oversight.
The former Division of Motor Vehicle has been renamed the Division of Motor Vehicle Policy and Regulation, which will now concentrate on developing regulatory standards, vehicle classification systems, compliance guidelines and safety benchmarks while monitoring adherence to national transport regulations.
The former Division of Drivers’ License has been converted into the Division of Axle Load Management, tasked with overseeing vehicle weight compliance, highway preservation standards and enforcement coordination involving heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
Officials say the unit will play a critical role in protecting Liberia’s road infrastructure by monitoring axle load limits and regulating freight transport.
Meanwhile, the Division of Tricycles and Motorcycles has been reorganized into the Division of Traffic Monitoring and Enforcement, which will oversee traffic surveillance coordination, compliance monitoring, violation reporting systems and collaboration with security agencies and municipal authorities to strengthen traffic management.
Civil servants to be reassigned
The Civil Service Agency said it has already conducted competency assessments of employees affected by the restructuring to ensure a smooth transition.
According to the CSA, personnel assigned to the former divisions will be reclassified and redeployed within the ministry’s new organizational structure based on their qualifications and institutional needs.
Officials emphasized that the changes are not expected to result in job losses.
“The restructuring represents a strategic repositioning of functions rather than displacement,” the statement said, adding that employees will be placed in roles aligned with their competencies under existing civil service regulations.
Technology upgrades planned
In a related initiative, the Ministry of Transport announced plans to introduce 25 traffic monitoring systems across key streets and intersections in Monrovia.
The systems will include closed-circuit television cameras and modern traffic light infrastructure, designed to improve traffic flow management, support enforcement operations and enhance road safety.
Officials say the broader reform aims to build a more efficient, accountable and technologically driven transport system, separating regulatory oversight from operational service delivery while strengthening institutional coordination across Liberia’s transport sector.
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