Due to severe flooding, a group of Liberian senators has suggested moving the capital city from the overcrowded and poorly managed Monrovia, a proposal that has sparked mixed reactions within the country.
Flash floods between late June and early July left nearly 50,000 Liberians in urgent need, according to the national disaster management agency.
Monrovia, which is particularly vulnerable to flooding due to overpopulation, poor sewage systems, and lax building regulations, was heavily impacted.
In early July, a senate joint committee met to discuss the persistent flooding issues and proposed establishing a new city to replace Monrovia.
Chris Kpewudu, a young motorbike driver in the capital, expressed support for the idea: “Our current capital is a mess. There is garbage everywhere, and flooding is rampant. A new city could be well planned and might even rival Abuja.”
Nigeria’s Abuja is one of a few planned capital cities in Africa. Similarly, Tanzania’s Dodoma and Ivory Coast’s Yamoussoukro were designated as administrative capitals in the late 20th century, each centrally located within their countries.
Monrovia, home to 1.5 million people, lies on Liberia’s Atlantic coast, one of the world’s poorest nations. The city serves as Liberia’s economic, political, and cultural center, with the Freeport of Monrovia facilitating exports of iron ore, rubber, and timber to the United States and Europe.
However, Monrovia’s infrastructure struggles to support its growing population. The Ministry of Public Works stated that it is carefully reviewing the proposal to move the capital, noting that no specific location has been chosen and that economic feasibility will be a key factor.
“Creating a new city requires significant investment,” said T. T. Benjamin Myers, the ministry’s communications director. “Our national budget is still around $600 million, so establishing a new city would need careful consideration of various technical, financial, and economic factors.”
Not an easy solution
The idea of relocating the capital is not new in Africa’s oldest republic. In 2012, then-president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf proposed moving Monrovia to a new city called Zekepa, located in the country’s center.
“We were all enthusiastic and looking forward to that,” Marayah Fyneah, the national program officer of the Liberian Women’s Legislative Caucus, said. “But unfortunately, we did not even see a plan to show what the city would look like.”
Fyneah expressed doubt that a new Liberian capital would be established in her lifetime, given the failure of the previous proposal.
Some residents were also hesitant, suggesting that the government should first focus on improving infrastructure and addressing poverty before considering a new capital.
Experts have cautioned about the extensive urban planning required to create a viable new capital.
“Establishing a new city is not a quick fix,” said Christopher Wallace, an economics lecturer at the University of Liberia. “You need to consider the economic activities that will make the economy vibrant in that area, and you must have proper zoning to outline what the city will look like.”
