President Joseph N. Boakai has commissioned Princess Eva Cooper as the first Director General of the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA), following her confirmation by the Liberian Senate. The commissioning formally entrusts her with leading Liberia’s tourism and culture sector.
During the ceremony, the President emphasized integrity in leadership, noting that titles may open doors, but honesty sustains trust and progress under the ARREST Agenda.
In October 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. appointed Ms. Princess Eva Cooper as Director General and Mr. Dogba K. Norris Jr. as Deputy Director General for Planning, Research, and Development of the newly established Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA), a move officials say marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to revive its tourism industry.
The appointments, effective immediately, follow the passage of the 2025 Liberia National Tourism Act, landmark legislation under Title 30 of the Public Authorities Law that formally created the LNTA as Liberia’s central agency for tourism promotion, regulation, and development. During the appointment ceremony at the Executive Mansion, President Boakai said the creation of the LNTA demonstrates his administration’s “unwavering commitment to economic diversification and sustainable national development.”
“The Liberia National Tourism Authority represents more than just an institutional milestone,” Boakai said. “It is a commitment to diversify our economy and harness our country’s natural and cultural wealth for sustainable growth.” The president praised the new leadership team as “a critical force in advancing Liberia’s tourism agenda, attracting both domestic and international investment, and promoting our national heritage.”
He emphasized that the Authority’s work would align with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which prioritizes Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism.
The effort to establish an autonomous tourism authority began in 2024 after lawmakers recognized that Liberia’s tourism potential remained largely untapped under the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT).
On September 3, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the bill titled “An Act to Amend Title 30, Public Authorities Laws … to Establish the Liberia National Tourism Authority.” The Senate concurred in early 2025, and President Boakai signed it into law on August 15, 2025, officially creating the LNTA. For years, stakeholders in the tourism sector had complained that MICAT’s broad mandate left tourism underfunded and poorly managed.
