By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I
The Central Bank of Liberia, with support from the World Bank through the LIFT Project, has launched the Instant Inclusive Payment System (IIPS) to unify mobile money providers such as MTN and Orange and commercial banks on a single platform that supports instant and secure transactions.
The national switch is intended to boost financial inclusion by enabling seamless mobile money interoperability, reducing transaction delays, and expanding access for everyday users, especially in rural areas and among small businesses.
The Inclusive Instant Payment System, which was launched on December 16, 2025, principally enables mobile money transfers between the two mobile network operators, Lonestar Cell MTN and Orange Liberia.
The launch, which took place at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, represents a transformative step in Liberia’s efforts to modernize its national payment infrastructure and expand access to secure, convenient, and inclusive digital financial services.
The IIPS is a national digital payment platform regulated and supervised by the Central Bank of Liberia. It enables full interoperability between banks, mobile money operators, and other financial service providers, allowing instant and secure transactions across different platforms and institutions.
With the IIPS, individuals and businesses will be able to send and receive money in real time, whether between bank accounts, mobile wallets, or across service providers, enhancing convenience, reducing transaction delays, and limiting reliance on cash.
As Liberia’s digital economy continues to expand, the need for a unified, efficient, and inclusive payment ecosystem has become increasingly urgent. The IIPS addresses persistent challenges such as fragmented payment channels, slow transaction processing, and limited interoperability among financial service providers. By connecting all major players on one national platform, the system enhances trust, transparency, and efficiency across the digital payments landscape.
The core features of the IIPS include full interoperability across different financial service providers, meaning a user on one platform can instantly send funds to another user on a different platform with low transaction costs, and governance structures that promote financial inclusion so that people who are unbanked or underbanked are not excluded from digital payments. By lowering barriers to access and enabling real-time payments for everyday transactions, the IIPS helps reduce dependence on cash and supports broader participation in the digital economy.
Officially launching the Instant Inclusive Payment System, which reaffirms the Government of Liberia’s commitment to digital transformation under the Agricultural, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism (ARREST) Agenda, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., emphasized that the IIPS matters greatly because every citizen deserves the same opportunity to participate in the economy. He said Liberians deserve dignity in financial transactions, with the ability to send and receive money instantly.
According to the President, the launch of the IIPS is a powerful enabler of the government’s ARREST Agenda, as it builds a digital highway that connects citizens financially, reduces leakages, and strengthens trust in the country’s financial system.
He further averred that the IIPS will enhance every sector of the economy, describing it as an accelerator of national development. “No Liberian should be left behind. No dream should be cut short due to lack of access. This is why the IIPS is very important—it creates opportunity and raises hope,” he said.
The President added that the system is a classic example of governance at its best, describing it as an “instant, inclusive Liberia” and Liberia’s homegrown solution to the challenges facing the financial sector.
