By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
Monrovia – Top Road Fund Chief Executive Officers from Sierra Leone and Namibia are in Liberia to support the Liberia National Road Fund transition from a first generation to a second-generation Road Fund.
Mohamed Kallan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Sierra Leone Road Maintenance Fund Administration while John Ali Ipinge is the Chief Executive Officer of the Namibia’s Road Fund Administration.
“The National Road Fund of Liberia is the only Road Fund in Africa still operating as a first-generation model. A first-generation road fund is essentially a fund with high government presence in its operations. It collects revenue from fuel levies, driver licenses, and vehicle registration.”
The Road Fund statement said these funds are governed directly by a board of political appointees who make decisions on how the funds are expended. Additionally, the fund is often integrated into the government budget and subjected to regular government accounting procedures, which makes it lack full autonomy and independence. As a first-generation fund, the NRF was only utilizing fuel levies until, in 2025, another stream of revenue, vehicle registration, was added.
According to the Road Fund, to strengthen the NRF and drive reform, the African Development Bank has hired a legal consultant to review the NRF’s Act of 2016, to facilitate its transition to a second-generation Road Fund.
The statement said unlike first-generation funds, second-generation funds are managed by boards representing road users, with independence and autonomy rather than political appointees.
“Revenue streams expand beyond vehicle registration, driver licenses, and fuel levies to include axle load charges and toll revenues.” The NRF said.
As part of this effort, the NRF has been actively engaging regional stakeholders to learn from their experiences. The NRF’s Manager, Mrs. Joseta Neufville-Wento, invited the CEOs of Namibia and Sierra Leone—both representing advanced Road Fund models.
“For instance, Namibia operates a third-generation Road Fund, which emphasizes Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for project delivery, maintenance, and financing, generating over $200 million annually. This model has absolutely zero government interference in its operations, while Sierra Leone’s fund represents a second-generation model.”
During their visit, Hon. Kallon and Hon. Ipinge will share insights and best practices to ensure a seamless transition for Liberia’s NRF.
At the welcoming ceremony, Mrs. Joseta Neufville-Wento, Manager of the NRF, expressed gratitude to the CEOs for their support and solidarity.
She noted that this visit would provide invaluable contributions to the NRF’s transition, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient road funding model in Liberia.
