By: Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
KIGALI, Rwanda — A Liberian scholar and daughter of Nimba County, Abigail Paygar is set to graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lay Adventists of Kigali in August 2026.
A native of Duoplay Town in Nimba Electoral District #3, Abigail has completed her two-year master’s program focusing on Business Administration, Economic Sciences, Management, and Human Resource Management. She successfully defended her thesis before a panel of examiners on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the university.
Paygar also served as former Vice Chair Emeritus of the Union of Nimba Students in East Africa (UNSEA), where she was known for advocating for Liberian students across the region.
Paygar’s academic path reflects deliberate, and steady growth. After completing a BSc in Nursing at Cuttington University in Liberia in 2022, she shifted to business and management studies, enrolling at the University of Lay Adventists of Kigali, Rwanda in 2024.
Her research, – Human Resource Development and Service Delivery in Telecommunication Companies – a case study of MTN Rwanda Head Office, Nyarutarama, Gasabo District, Kigali, examines how investment in people translates into organizational performance.
Specifically, Paygar analyzed how training, skills development, staff welfare, and motivation influence service quality, customer satisfaction, and overall efficiency in Rwanda’s fast-growing telecom sector.
She outlined actionable strategies for businesses, government institutions, and NGOs across East Africa — and back home in Liberia — on how to build, retain, and empower an effective workforce.
Her conclusion ties organizational growth directly to national development, suggesting that Liberia and other emerging economies can accelerate progress by prioritizing human resource development at both corporate and policy levels.
Ms. Paygar, who comes from a low-income family, has earned a reputation among young Liberians as a quiet but determined scholar who leads by example.
In a field where Liberian women remain underrepresented, particularly in international graduate programs, citizens say her achievement serves as both a personal milestone and a signal to others.
She is “quietly building a concrete academic wall,” as one peer put it — raising the bar for what Liberian women can achieve abroad and bringing that knowledge back home.
With the thesis defense complete, Paygar now prepares for the conferral ceremony and graduation in August 2026.
Beyond graduation, Paygar has made clear her intention to translate research into practice in Liberia upon her return home. She plans to engage both the private and public sectors, with a focus on strengthening workforce development and improving service delivery across institutions.
Her goal is to help organizations move beyond outdated personnel practices by introducing structured training programs, performance-based motivation systems, and staff welfare policies that align with international standards.
By adapting lessons from Rwanda’s telecom sector to Liberia’s context, she aims to bridge the gap between policy design and frontline execution—where service quality is actually experienced by citizens and customers.
Paygar sees this as a long-term contribution: building systems that retain talent, reduce turnover, and create a culture where employees feel valued and equipped to perform.
For her, improving human capital is not just a management issue, but a direct lever for national development and economic resilience in Liberia.
