Liberia Supreme Court to hear appeal in Dr. Nyan termination case

The Full Bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia is scheduled to hear arguments regarding an appeal filed by the Executive Branch against a Writ of Prohibition granted to Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan. Dr. Nyan, the Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), is challenging his October 2025 removal from his tenure-position by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

Dr. Nyan filed a petition alleging his dismissal was illegal and unconstitutional, asserting that the President acted on an NPHIL Board resolution without evidence of wrongdoing, due process, or cause. The petition notes that Dr. Nyan was appointed to a five-year tenure in August 2024 under the NPHIL Act, which prohibits removal “at will.”

Following a failed resolution attempt in late 2025, Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie ruled in Dr. Nyan’s favor in February 2026. The Chambers Justice concluded the Executive failed to conduct investigations or follow due-process requirements established by the NPHIL Act and the Liberian Constitution.