IPNEWS: Liberia’s long-standing Liberianization Policy, designed to protect local businesses and jobs from foreign domination, is facing a major test following a controversial commercial arrangement between Firestone Liberia and APM Terminals Liberia that has forced thousands of Liberian truckers and dock workers out of work.
Firestone Liberia, a foreign-owned concessionaire that already enjoys extensive tax exemptions and duty-free privileges, has entered into a trucking arrangement with APM Terminals Liberia that allows Firestone’s own trucks to transport shipping containers inside the Freeport of Monrovia.
The deal has effectively pushed aside Liberian-owned trucking companies, which had for years been responsible for container haulage within the terminal—employing thousands of drivers, mechanics, loaders, and support workers across Montserrado and Margibi counties.
Jobs Lost, Local Businesses Strangled
Before the new deal, Liberian truck owners contracted by APM Terminals hired large numbers of workers to move containers from vessels to storage yards and inland destinations. The sudden switch to Firestone trucks has collapsed that entire local supply chain.
“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.”
Analysts say the arrangement contradicts the government’s core economic recovery strategy, which prioritizes local job creation, private-sector growth, and Liberian participation in key industries.
Union Raises Red Flag
The Liberia National Truckers Union (LINTU) has taken the lead in challenging what it calls an illegal and discriminatory practice. In a strongly worded letter dated January 12, 2026, addressed to APM Terminals Managing Director Rachid Baho, LINTU accused APM of violating Liberia’s Liberianization laws.
According to LINTU, commercial trucking and container haulage inside the port are legally reserved for Liberian-owned businesses, and Firestone Liberia — a foreign rubber concession company — is not licensed to engage in commercial transport.
“This action constitutes a direct violation of the Liberianization Policy and undermines the economic rights and livelihoods of Liberian truckers,” the union stated.
LINTU says it possesses photographic and video evidence showing Firestone trucks transporting containers inside APM Terminals, a move it claims is unlawful.
NPA Alerted, Deadline Issued
The union confirmed that it formally notified the National Port Authority (NPA) on January 8, giving APM until January 10 to reverse the decision and reinstate Liberian-owned trucks.
When no action was taken, LINTU escalated the matter, issuing an ultimatum:
If Firestone trucks are still seen operating inside APM by January 13, no Liberian-owned truck will enter the terminal—a move that could cripple port operations and disrupt imports and exports nationwide.
A Policy on the Brink
Liberia’s Liberianization Policy was created to prevent exactly this type of economic displacement, ensuring that Liberians—not foreign corporations—benefit from domestic commercial activities.
Critics argue that allowing a tax-exempt multinational like Firestone to take over trucking operations inside the port creates unfair competition and destroys local enterprise, especially at a time when unemployment and poverty remain dangerously high.
“You cannot talk about empowering Liberians while handing their livelihoods to foreign corporations,” an economic policy expert told this paper.
With port operations central to Liberia’s economy, the standoff between LINTU and APM Terminals could quickly escalate into a national economic and political crisis if authorities fail to intervene.
All eyes are now on the National Port Authority and the Liberian government to determine whether the country’s laws will be enforced—or quietly bypassed in favor of foreign corporate interests.
For thousands of Liberian families suddenly without income, the outcome could determine whether Liberia’s economic sovereignty still means anything at all.
