Liberia's Roberts International Airport needs at least $15 million in emergency funding to fix safety and equipment failures that have left the country's only international gateway below global aviation standards, officials warned Wednesday.
The disclosure came during a tour of the facility by House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, who pledged legislative support to address the crisis after witnessing firsthand the extent of the airport's decline.
"The message we're trying to send is that we need a total revamp," said Julius D. Dennis Jr., Director-General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA). "To meet minimum international standards, we're looking at something in the range of $12 to $15 million as an initial amount."
Audit Exposed Deep Safety Gaps
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Dennis said a 2022 international audit revealed multiple deficiencies that jeopardize RIA's compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The findings, he added, demand "swift and serious government intervention."
"Those are the corrective actions that require financial empowerment for both the LCAA and the Liberia Airport Authority," Dennis explained. "Without immediate investment, our airport risks falling further behind international benchmarks."
The audit placed RIA among the region's weakest links in aviation safety, a stark contrast to neighboring airports in Accra, Abidjan, and Banjul, which have each undergone multimillion-dollar upgrades in the past decade.
Speaker Koon Promises Legislative Action
Speaker Koon, who began his tour at the LCAA headquarters before inspecting key navigation and firefighting systems, said the visit gave lawmakers a clearer understanding of what's needed to restore the airport's safety credibility.
"The main intent of this visit is to verify reports about failed safety gadgets and navigators flagged in the international audit," he said. "Though our airport is small, it must meet the standards required to accommodate larger flights."
Koon vowed to prioritize RIA's rehabilitation in the 2026 national budget, saying the facility's condition reflects the country's broader struggle with infrastructure neglect.
"Our visit is about safeguarding lives and restoring confidence in air travel," Koon said. "Liberia is the only country where passengers clap when a plane lands safely -- that should tell us something."
Aging Systems and Manual Operations
RIA Board Chairman Massaquoi Kamara described the airport's technical condition as alarming, citing obsolete firefighting trucks and damaged navigation systems as the most urgent needs.
"We have two fire trucks, but we actually need four, each costing about $1 million," Kamara said. "Our main DVOR navigation system was destroyed by fire, and replacing it will cost another $5.4 million."
He noted that many systems now run manually, a workaround that "keeps operations going but limits growth and increases long-term risk."
"Manual operations are not immediately dangerous," Kamara said, "but they make it impossible to attract more airlines or handle larger aircraft."
Blueprint for Rehabilitation
Dennis said the long-term solution will be a comprehensive Airport Development Plan (ADP) to guide phased upgrades, from runway rehabilitation to modern radar, lighting, and communications systems.
"It has to be done in a very expert manner," he said. "This plan will determine what we want RIA to become over the next decade."
The proposed $15 million, he added, would cover critical safety, compliance, and equipment needs, the first step toward full modernization.
Once a Regional Hub, Now Lagging Behind
Built in the 1940s by the United States as a World War II air base, Roberts International Airport once ranked among West Africa's busiest and most strategic. But decades of underfunding, poor management, and wartime damage have left it struggling to keep up with modern standards.
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Today, only a handful of international carriers serve RIA. Frequent power outages, fire incidents, and the lack of modern navigation tools have hurt Liberia's aviation reputation.
"RIA's decline mirrors Liberia's broader infrastructure challenge," said a local aviation consultant. "Reinvesting in the airport isn't just about safety -- it's about reconnecting Liberia to the global economy."
The LCAA and RIA management say the proposed $15 million will address immediate safety gaps and audit requirements, while the Airport Development Plan will map out long-term modernization.
For now, attention turns to the 2026 national budget, where lawmakers are expected to decide whether Liberia's international gateway finally receives the resources it urgently needs -- or continues to rely on luck and applause each time a plane lands safely.
