Claim: Liberian politician Cllr. Kanio Gbala recently appeared on an online show and claimed that rice prices in Liberia have been stable for the past three years.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA’s findings show that rice prices increased in March 2024.
Full Text
A Liberian politician and founder of the Centrism Movement, Cllr. Kanio Gbala, recently appeared on an online nighttime program, Spoon Talk, and claimed that rice prices in Liberia have been stable for the past three years.
“The stability in the price of rice. The price of rice has been stable for the last three years,” he said.
He made the statement two hours and 16 minutes into the program while praising the government for keeping basic commodity prices stable on the Liberian market.
Rice is Liberia’s primary staple food, making its price one of the country’s most sensitive economic issues.
DUBAWA fact-checked the claim as part of its mandate to counter misinformation and disinformation and promote truth-telling in public discourse.
Verification:
DUBAWA reviewed data from the Liberia Market Monitoring Bulletin, which shows that in March 2024, the price of imported rice increased by 21% as compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, on May 17, 2024, the Liberian government, through the Ministry of Commerce, announced an increase in the price of a 25kg bag of rice from USD$16.75 to USD$18.50.
After Liberia’s Commerce Minister, Amin Modad, made the announcement, several Liberians expressed frustration, and some questioned the President’s ability to deliver on his pledge to rescue the country.
Consequently, President Joseph Boakai met with rice importers and later disapproved of the increase the Commerce Minister had announced.
In March 2026, the government also moved to maintain wholesale and retail rice prices in the country. Liberia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) explained that the move was necessary because rising global commodity costs linked to geopolitical tensions were affecting international markets.
Meanwhile, DUBAWA observed that while the government had attempted to stabilize rice prices in the country, local retail prices may see slight markups in some areas due to transportation costs and other factors.
Conclusion:
The claim that rice prices in Liberia have been stable for the past three years is false.