-Hit 42%
BY: SHALLON S. GONLOR | shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has elevated women to nine of Liberia’s 19 core ministerial positions, pushing female Cabinet representation to 42.1 percent following the September 2, 2026, reshuffle.
The last appointment from the Executive Mansion marks an increase from early 2025, when women held approximately 39 percent—seven of the 19 posts. The new figure represents a historic high for female participation in Liberia’s highest decision-making body.
The 19 core Cabinet positions include Foreign Affairs, Finance and Development Planning, State for Presidential Affairs, Justice and Attorney-General, National Defense, Local Government, Minister of State Without Portfolio, Agriculture, Public Works, Health and Social Welfare, Commerce and Industry, Information, Mines and Energy, Labor, Transport, Gender, Children and Social Protection, Education, Posts and Telecommunications, and Youth and Sports.
The nine women now serving or designated for these roles are:
Sara Beysolow Nyanti – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet. The former UN Assistant Secretary-General brings nearly three decades of global governance and peacebuilding experience. She led Liberia’s successful campaign for a non-permanent UN Security Council seat for the 2026–2027 term.
Brig. Gen. (Rtd.) Geraldine Janet George – Minister of National Defense. Liberia’s first female defense minister rose through military ranks since joining the restructured Armed Forces in 2006. She holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Webster University.
Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto – Minister of Health. The physician-obstetrician holds a PhD in Tropical Medicine and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. The West African College of Surgeons inducted her as a Fellow in February 2025.
Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah – Minister of Education and UNESCO Executive Board member. She has implemented free public primary education from Kindergarten through Grade 6, beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year.
Gbeme Horace-Kollie – Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection. She has prioritized decentralizing operations to county levels and expediting SGBV cases through technology and specialized legal mechanisms.
Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh – Minister of Commerce and Industry. Appointed in November 2024, she holds graduate-level studies in Finance and Banking and a certificate in Gender-Responsive Economic Policy Management.
Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah – Minister of Youth and Sports. At 35, she became the youngest person to hold this position, bringing experience from the Ministry of State and Ministry of Education.
Hadja Mamaka Bility – Minister of State Without Portfolio. She oversees the President’s Delivery Unit and chairs the Liberia Corporation for Strategic Investment. Bility is also spearheading efforts to establish a National Peace, Reconciliation and Memorial Museum.
Cllr. Betty Muslyn Lamin-Blamo – Minister-designate of Justice. A Columbia University LL.M. graduate and former Solicitor General, she awaits Senate confirmation to succeed Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh.
Lamin-Blamo’s appointment comes as the Ministry of Justice confronts heightened public scrutiny over high-profile criminal investigations, anti-corruption cases, and narcotics-related matters.
With women now occupying 42.1 percent of core Cabinet positions, the Boakai administration has achieved unprecedented gender representation in Liberia’s executive leadership. Also, women make up approximately 50.1% of Liberia’s population.
