MONROVIA –Liberia’s Liberianization Policy is under intense public and institutional scrutiny following a controversial operational arrangement between Firestone Liberia and APM Terminals Liberia that has resulted in widespread job losses among Liberian truckers and port workers at the Freeport of Monrovia.
By Selma Lomax, Selma.lomaxfrontpageafricaonline.com
The development has sparked growing tension within the transport sector and renewed debate over the government’s responsibility to protect local businesses and employment in the face of foreign corporate dominance.
At the center of the controversy is an arrangement that permits Firestone Liberia, a foreign-owned concessionaire that already benefits from broad tax exemptions and duty-free privileges, to deploy its own trucks to transport shipping containers within the Freeport.
This role had, for many years, been carried out by Liberian-owned trucking companies contracted by APM Terminals Liberia, creating a reliable source of employment for thousands of Liberians working as drivers, mechanics, loaders, dispatchers, and support staff in Montserrado and Margibi counties.
The shift in operations has abruptly sidelined those local trucking firms, effectively dismantling a domestic supply chain that sustained families and small businesses tied to port activities. Affected truck owners say they made long-term investments in vehicles, maintenance, and labor based on the structure of port operations that existed prior to the new arrangement, only to see those investments rendered unviable almost overnight.
“This is economic strangulation, not business,” said one displaced Liberian truck owner. “We invested in trucks, hired workers, and paid taxes based on APM’s operations. Now a foreign company is doing everything while Liberians sit idle.”
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from labor leaders and economic analysts, many of whom argue that the deal runs counter to Liberia’s stated economic recovery agenda. Government policy documents emphasize local job creation, private-sector growth, and greater Liberian participation in strategic industries, including transport and logistics.
Critics say the Firestone–APM arrangement undermines these objectives and weakens the intent of the Liberianization Policy, which was crafted to reserve certain commercial activities for Liberian-owned enterprises and prevent the displacement of local operators by foreign companies.
The Liberia National Truckers Union has taken the lead in opposing the arrangement, describing it as illegal and discriminatory. In a strongly worded letter dated January 12, 2026, and addressed to APM Terminals Liberia Managing Director Rachid Baho, the union accused APM of violating Liberia’s Liberianization laws by allowing Firestone trucks to engage in commercial container haulage within the port.
According to the union, trucking and container haulage operations inside the Freeport of Monrovia are legally reserved for Liberian-owned businesses. It further contended that Firestone Liberia, as a foreign rubber concession company, is not licensed to engage in commercial transport services within the port facility.
“This action constitutes a direct violation of the Liberianization Policy and undermines the economic rights and livelihoods of Liberian truckers,” the union stated in its communication.
The Liberia National Truckers Union also claimed it has photographic and video evidence showing Firestone trucks transporting containers inside APM Terminals, which it insists is unlawful. Union officials said they formally notified the National Port Authority on January 8 and requested immediate intervention to halt the practice.
According to the union, APM Terminals was given until January 10 to reverse the decision and reinstate Liberian-owned trucks. When no corrective action was taken by that deadline, the union escalated the matter and issued a warning of potential disruption to port operations.
Union leaders stated that if Firestone trucks continued to operate inside the terminal by January 13, Liberian-owned trucks would refuse to enter the Freeport. Such a move, they warned, could significantly disrupt the movement of imports and exports, with far-reaching consequences for the national economy.
The standoff has intensified broader debate about the enforcement of the Liberianization Policy and the country’s economic sovereignty. Established to ensure that Liberians benefit directly from domestic commercial activities, the policy is widely viewed as a safeguard against economic marginalization in key sectors.
Critics argue that allowing a tax-exempt multinational corporation to dominate trucking operations inside the port creates unfair competition and accelerates the collapse of local enterprise, particularly at a time when unemployment and poverty remain high.
“You cannot talk about empowering Liberians while handing their livelihoods to foreign corporations,” an economic policy expert told this paper.
Given the central role of port operations in Liberia’s economy, any prolonged disruption could affect the supply of goods, increase prices, and further strain an already fragile economic environment.
