Liberia’s President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai
A brewing controversy threatens to engulf President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s government as allegations emerge that he may have been misled into endorsing a $44 million biometric identification contract with Austrian firm, OSD International, despite its rejection by Liberia’s Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC). While some outlets report the deal’s value at $44 million, others have cited a lower figure of approximately $9.8 million.
The scandal, detailed in a report by The Liberian Investigator, a local media platform, and supposedly corroborated by travel records and insider accounts, raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and the influence of unverified briefings within the president’s inner circle, some local commentators say.
The timeline of events, the report says, reveals incriminating details. On June 10, the National Identification Registry (NIR) requested PPCC approval for a restricted bidding process, claiming the project, framed as a public-private partnership with OSD, would cost the government nothing due to pre-financing.
However, the report continues, on July 5, two days before the PPCC’s rejection on July 7, President Boakai issued a memo directing a newly formed steering committee, chaired by National Security Advisor, Samuel Koffi Woods, to both “finalise the contractor selection” and uphold a “previously signed” OSD contract.
The PPCC’s subsequent ruling cited violations of the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA), mandating an international competitive bidding process instead. Investigative findings, according to The Liberian Investigator report, suggest a troubling sequence. The president’s memo appears to pre-empt the regulatory body’s decision, implying that advisors may have presented OSD’s selection as a fait accompli.
The media platform claimed that it spoke with a procurement lawyer anonymously, due to the sensitivity of the matter, who said “the PPCA requires transparency, and locking in a vendor before PPCC approval is a clear breach.” Documents obtained by the media outlet, including the NIR’s “Certificate for Concession” and Executive Order 147, further complicate the narrative, as they fail to substantiate claims of a legally binding contract prior to July 5.
Adding a geopolitical twist, a March 23-24, 2024, diplomatic visit to Austria by senior Liberian officials, including foreign minister, Sarah Beysolow Nyanti, and Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, included tours of OSD’s Vienna headquarters. Meetings with Austrian foreign minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, and discussions on trade opportunities hint at early engagement with OSD, though no direct evidence ties this trip to the president’s decision.
Dillon, when reached, declined to comment, while Nyanti’s office referred inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has yet to respond. Woods vehemently denies involvement, asserting, “I was appointed to review, not advise. Show me a document linking me to this, and we’ll talk.” His insistence on a thorough review of PPCC documentation suggests an attempt to distance himself, but the lack of clarity on who briefed Boakai leaves a gaping hole in the narrative.
PPCC spokesperson Nathan Bengu confirmed the July 7 rejection stands, with no reversal issued. With a planned April 13, 2026, rollout for Liberia’s biometric ID system, the stakes are high as calls for accountability grow.
