Liberia: UL Announces U.S.$6.35m Campus Renovation
The University of Liberia has announced a US$6.35 million campus renovation, modernization and beautification initiative, with major projects expected to be completed by March 31, 2027, as the institution prepares for the resumption of academic activities.
Speaking at a press conference at the Capitol Hill Campus in Monrovia on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, University President Dr. Layli Maparyan described the initiative as a generational investment aimed at improving infrastructure, restoring the university’s appearance and upgrading teaching and learning facilities.
The Renovation, Modernization and Beautification (RMB) exercise is being spearheaded by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., the university’s Visitor and alumnus, under the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
“The most important thing going on right now is the University of Liberia’s ongoing Renovation, Modernization, and Beautification exercise–a generational investment in Liberia’s national flagship university,” Maparyan said.
She disclosed that US$6.35 million had been provided for the initiative in 2026 through allocations from the National Legislature and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, with additional funding expected.
Maparyan explained that renovation involves refurbishing existing structures, completing unfinished buildings and expanding usable academic and administrative space. Modernization includes upgrading electrical systems, introducing modern laboratories, improving accessibility for persons with disabilities and incorporating renewable energy solutions. Beautification focuses on landscaping, sanitation, debris removal and creating more attractive learning environments.
Three buildings at Capitol Hill are currently undergoing renovation: the Graduate School, Business College, and Law School and Annex. Work has also started on the Academic Building at the A.M. Dogliotti Medical School Campus in Congo Town.
Maparyan said the projects followed priorities identified by President Boakai when he met university officials in August to accelerate infrastructure improvements, particularly at Capitol Hill and within the health sciences sector.
She commended Delta Architectural and Construction Company for mobilizing quickly, while acknowledging Liberian architect Garmondyu Zogar and his firm, Forma Nova, for developing designs intended to preserve the university’s historical identity while giving its buildings a modern appearance. She also credited the Ministry of Public Works for its technical drawings and assessment of renovation needs.
Beyond the ongoing projects, the university is prioritizing improvements at the Preclinical Campus in Fendall during the Fiscal Year 2026 Public Sector Investment Program cycle. The David A. Straz-Sinje Technical and Vocational College in Grand Cape Mount County is also included.
Maparyan said contractors had been approved for the Fendall campus, the technical and vocational college, and the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at Capitol Hill. Further announcements and construction activities were expected before the end of October.
A technical working group involving the Ministry of Public Works and the university’s project management team is overseeing the projects. Students from the Civil and Electrical Engineering departments are also participating as interns to gain practical experience.
Smaller repairs across the university’s four campuses, particularly Fendall, are addressing leaking roofs, damaged bathrooms and lighting problems.
Despite the construction, Maparyan said the administration was preparing for the resumption of classes while continuing discussions with faculty and staff representatives over outstanding welfare concerns.
Negotiations involving the administration, Board of Trustees and University of Liberia Faculty and Staff Associations (ULFASA) have addressed NASSCORP contributions, retirement benefits, pay disparities, salary increments and outstanding arrears.
She disclosed that ULFASA had submitted a draft quadripartite memorandum of understanding involving the university administration, the faculty association, the staff association and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The proposed agreement was under review as of Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the university is preparing to reintroduce online education as a major mode of instruction during the renovation period, while retaining essential in-person classes where necessary. The administration is exploring additional teaching facilities outside its campuses.
Maparyan said lecturers would be invited to participate in a two-week online education workshop organized through the initiative of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Agnes Reeves Taylor and her team.
The university is also planning student orientation, revising course schedules and developing affordable data packages to reduce the cost of online learning. Chief Information Officer Dr. Darren Wilkins is working to expand computer access for students without personal devices.
“We are getting ready so that the learning time is short once we resume,” Maparyan said.
The administration has also met with students to discuss the prolonged interruption of academic activities and its implications for their education and graduation schedules.
In another development, the university signed two memoranda of understanding to strengthen academic collaboration and professional training. The first, signed Tuesday with the Liberia National Tourism Authority, will promote tourism research, curriculum development and collaboration on tourism and ecotourism sites across university campuses.
The second agreement, signed Wednesday with the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority, provides for an improved Earth Sciences Laboratory within the university’s College of Engineering.
Maparyan said the partnerships would help align academic programs with industry needs, strengthen practical training and expand employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for graduates.
The university’s broader objective, she said, is to improve infrastructure, strengthen teaching and learning, and advance its ambition of becoming one of Africa’s top 300 universities.
