The National Road Fund of Liberia has officially announced that the country is set to host the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA-AFERA), bringing together representatives from 35 member states across the continent. The disclosure was made during a media engagement in Monrovia, where officials expressed excitement over Liberia’s role as host nation and the significance of the gathering for the country and the wider African road-maintenance sector. ARMFA-AFERA is a non-profit, pan-African organization founded in 2003 in Libreville, Gabon. It serves as a platform that brings together national road maintenance funds from English, French, and Portuguese-speaking African countries.
Its mission is to promote sustainable road-maintenance financing, strengthen best practices, and support socio-economic development by improving the quality of road networks across the continent. The association’s mandate includes capacity building, the development of innovative financing strategies, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of good governance and autonomy among road maintenance institutions. ARMFA’s supreme governing body is its General Assembly, made up of representatives from all national road funds within its membership. Speaking at the press conference, Joseta Neufville-Wento described the upcoming assembly as a “historic event,” one that demonstrates Liberia’s growing role in regional infrastructure dialogue.
They expressed profound gratitude to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for granting Liberia the opportunity to host the annual gathering, which they said will serve as a major platform for knowledge sharing, strategy development, and collaborative problem-solving among African road funding institutions. “This is an opportunity for us to share knowledge, cultivate innovative financial strategies, address challenges, and find solutions,” the Liberian delegation said. They emphasized that the engagement will help countries transition their road-fund systems from first-generation structures to more advanced autonomous frameworks that are capable of mobilizing greater resources for road maintenance.
According to them, strengthening the autonomy of road funds across Africa is crucial to ensuring transparency, accountability, and long-term financing stability. ARMFA comprises 35 national road funds, which collectively work to improve road governance, encourage public-private partnerships, and share experiences across countries that operate at varying levels of development. Some member nations have advanced systems and technologies in place, while others continue to grapple with structural or resource-related challenges—making the annual meeting a crucial opportunity for technical exchange. ARMFA has, over the years, developed a strategic plan focused on legal strengthening, capacity building, climate-resilient road infrastructure, and improved governance.
Officials noted that climate change has created additional strain on Africa’s road networks, increasing the urgency for stronger road-asset management systems. ARMFA’s Secretariat, now operating from Nairobi, Kenya, has been instrumental in coordinating activities across the continent, including training programs and the establishment of four regional focal groups: West Africa with 12 member states, Central Africa with six, Southern Africa with nine, and East Africa with eight. Each focal group is led by a chairperson within the region, ensuring a structured and collaborative operational system.
During the media briefing, ARMFA representatives highlighted capacity building as Liberia’s greatest gain, noting that the country stands to learn from the experiences of more advanced road-maintenance systems on the continent. They also disclosed that ARMFA is opening a training center in Nairobi, which Liberia will benefit from through targeted programs designed to enhance skills in road maintenance, engineering, and financial management. They assured the Liberian public that discussions during the General Assembly will identify the country’s challenges and propose specialized training for Liberian engineers and road-sector professionals.
In response to questions about membership criteria, ARMFA explained that countries must operate a recognized national road fund, meet their annual contributions, and actively participate in the association’s activities to qualify as full members. Relatively to gender balance the officials revealed that the association has made significant progress in promoting women to leadership roles, citing examples of female Director-Generals heading national road funds in Liberia, Portugal, Mali, Angola, and Senegal. They emphasized that ARMFA is committed to aligning with global standards, including the United Nations’ emphasis on women’s participation in decision-making processes.
Liberia’s National Road Fund further highlighted the broader economic and social benefits of hosting the event. The influx of delegates is expected to boost local businesses, generate foreign-exchange inflows, and showcase Liberia’s capacity to host high-level international conferences. More importantly, the event provides a valuable opportunity for young Liberian engineers to learn from senior experts across the continent, thereby strengthening the country’s technical workforce and improving the future of road maintenance.
The National Road Funds of Liberia, however, reaffirmed the country’s readiness to welcome ARMFA delegates and to play a strategic role in shaping the future of road maintenance financing in Africa. Wento also expressed hope that the outcomes of the 22nd General Assembly will support Liberia’s journey toward establishing a stronger, more autonomous, and more efficient national road-fund system one that will translate into improved road quality, greater investment, and better economic prospects for all Liberians.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
