Partly Correct, Alex Cummings Right on Youth Population in Liberia

 

Claim: "More than 75 percent of youths in Liberia are Under the age of 35"
Source: Alexander Cummings, Political leader, Alternative National Congress, one of the leading political institutions in Liberia

Full Text: During his August 3 appearance as a panelist on Closing Argument, an online platform that hosts major players in the country, Alexander Cummings claimed that more than 75 percent of Liberia's population is below age 35. The claim appears at the 52:32 mark of Friday's conversation.

Verification: To verify the claim, we reviewed data from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), based on the 2022 National Population and Housing Census, as well as the Liberia National Youth Policy and Action Plan 2025–2029, developed with support from UNFPA-Liberia.

There is no universally agreed international definition of youth, as the concept varies across cultures, laws, and organizations. For statistical purposes, however, the United Nations defines youth as persons aged 15 to 24.

LISGIS census analytical reports classify youth into two age categories: 15–24 years, to conform to international standards, and 15–35 years, in accordance with the Liberia National Youth Policy.

According to the census thematic report, children, adolescents, and youth ages 0 to 35 make up a large proportion of Liberia's population. Youth alone account for 74.5 percent of the total population. Those aged 15 to 24 make up 23.6 percent, while those aged 15 to 35 account for 41.7 percent.

Similarly, a review of the Liberia National Youth Policy 2025–2029 found that "75 percent of Liberia's population is under the age of 35," underscoring the country's predominantly youthful demographic.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) similarly reports that Liberia has a "significant youthful population, with nearly 75 percent under 35."

Meanwhile, a report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicates that Liberia has a predominantly youthful population, with 63 percent of its people under 25 and 32.8 percent between ages 10 and 24.

Conclusion: Based on our research, we conclude that Cummings is partly right: young people do make up roughly 75 percent of Liberia's population. However, we note a discrepancy: LISGIS data puts the figure at approximately 75 percent, not 'more than 75 percent,' as Cummings claimed.