Liberia To Launch Nationwide Migrant Profiling, Biometric Registration Exercise

The Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), Cllr. Jeror Cole Bangalu, has announced the official commencement of a nationwide-priority joint migrant profiling and biometric registration exercise, set to begin on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with an official launch ceremony scheduled to take place in Zleh Town, Grand Gedeh County.  Cllr. Bangalu explained that the exercise, expected to run from November 5 through December 31, 2026, is being undertaken in fulfillment of a direct mandate from His Excellency, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. The mandate directs the LRRRC, the National Identification Registry (NIR), and the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) to collaborate in addressing the growing challenge of undocumented migrant populations, particularly nationals of Burkina Faso residing in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland Counties. “This is a presidential mandate that requires urgent, coordinated, and effective implementation,” Bangalu added. Bangalu noted that the three institutions have been specifically directed to work together to establish an accurate identification and documentation framework for these migrant populations.  “Accordingly, the exercise is not merely a routine administrative undertaking; it is a critical national exercise with significant implications for national identity management, migration governance, border security, public administration, and the rule of law,” Bangalu emphasized.  Cllr. Bangalu also said the joint technical team comprises personnel from the LRRRC, NIR, and LIS. Each institution will bring its respective statutory mandate and technical expertise to ensure the successful implementation of the exercise.  He further explained that the National Identification Registry will provide the technical infrastructure and biometric identification expertise necessary to ensure that every eligible migrant captured through the exercise receives a unique identity and is appropriately enrolled in Liberia’s National Biometric Identification System. According to him, establishing reliable identification records will strengthen the country’s national identity management architecture and support the Government’s broader migration governance objectives.  The Liberia Immigration Service will provide immigration-related technical support, while the LRRRC will coordinate the profiling and documentation process in keeping with its mandate and the Government’s broader migration governance objectives. He said to ensure accessibility and effective coverage; designated profiling centers have been mapped out across the four counties as follows:

1.River Gee County — Three (3) centers

2.Nimba County — Four (4) centers

3.GrandGedeh County — Eight (8) centers

4.Maryland County — One (1) center