-Despite Reporting Error
The Central Bank of Liberia has confirmed sustained expansion across all major banking indicators, with newly released data showing total assets have grown by 65% over three years, climbing steadily from L$206 billion in 2022 to L$340 billion in the first quarter of 2025. This upward trajectory reflects increasing institutional strength, with the most significant single-year jump occurring between 2022-2023 when assets surged by L$87 billion (42%).
Customer deposits tell a similar story of growing public confidence, having increased by 86% since 2022. The figures reveal consistent annual growth: L$135 billion (2022), L$198 billion (2023), L$229 billion (2024)
and L$251 billion (Q1 2025).
Commercial banks have simultaneously strengthened their capital positions, with reserves expanding by 52% from L$31.4 billion in 2022 to L$47.6 billion currently. This capital buildup has occurred alongside remarkable profitability gains – net income nearly doubled from L$5.5 billion in 2021 to L$10.6 billion in 2024, though with a temporary dip to L$4.2 billion in 2022 during the post-pandemic adjustment period.
The private sector emerges as the engine of this growth, accounting for 98% of the banking sector’s credit portfolio. Business lending crossed the symbolic L$100 billion threshold in 2024 (L$101.24 billion), up from L$76.22 billion in 2022 – a 33% increase that underscores the sector’s role in financing Liberia’s economic expansion.
Supporting these gains, the banking system maintains exceptional liquidity at 53.7% as of March 2025 – 38 percentage points above the regulatory minimum. This financial cushion comes as Liberia’s economy grows at 4.8% GDP (2024), suggesting the banking sector is well-positioned to sustain its supportive role in the nation’s development.
The CBL emphasizes these fundamentals remain strong despite the reporting error, with all indicators pointing to a financial system that has not only recovered from pandemic-era challenges but entered a new phase of stable expansion. Corrected data visualizations will be released this week alongside enhanced verification protocols to prevent future presentation issues.
