The Government of Liberia has approved a FCFA 16.5 billion(≈USD29.76m) budget to build 600 new housing units across six pilot counties as part of efforts to address the country’s persistent housing shortage and widespread slum conditions, officials said on January 22, 2026. The initiative was announced at the sixth session of the steering committee for the Project for the Development of Livestock and Pisciculture Value Chains (PDCVEP), held in Monrovia, where officials confirmed land is being acquired and prepared for construction under the Special Presidential Project.
Florence Geebae, Managing Director of the National Housing Authority (NHA), said the six counties selected for the pilot phase are Bassa, Bomi, Bong, Lofa, Nimba and Montserrado. She said the effort targets affordable housing for low- and middle-income earners, including civil servants, and aims to directly improve the living conditions of families living in informal settlements. Each unit is expected to house an average of about 4.4 people, meaning the project could benefit nearly 2,640 Liberians once complete.
Liberia faces a significant housing deficit, with urbanisation rising from 47 percent in 2008 to 54.5 percent in 2022, contributing to urban overcrowding and inadequate shelter for a large portion of the population, with slum dwellers estimated at more than 70 percent in some areas. Geebae reiterated that the new housing project forms part of a broader government strategy aimed at upgrading slums, enhancing access to basic services and promoting social inclusion.
In addition to construction, the NHA is reportedly pursuing reforms to establish a National Housing Trust Fund and is engaging private investors to ensure sustainable development across the sector. Public-private partnership proposals have been submitted, and financial evaluations are underway ahead of contract finalisation in the coming days, Geebae said.
The programme comes amid ongoing housing initiatives in Liberia. Earlier partnerships with development agencies like the United Nations Development Programme have also focused on affordable housing and community upgrading efforts, including the allocation of land and design planning for future units in urban slum areas.
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