Liberia is positioning its mining and energy sector to generate more than US$3 billion in revenue under a new five-year strategic plan aimed at modernising governance, expanding domestic revenue and turning the extractive industry into a major pillar of economic growth, authorities said.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) on Wednesday launched its 2025–2029 Five-Year Strategic Plan at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, lawmakers, development partners and representatives of the extractive industries.
The policy document outlines reforms to strengthen oversight, improve transparency and ensure that Liberia’s natural resources deliver tangible benefits to citizens, the ministry said.
“Planning is important, but the challenge of implementing scrupulously will always be the biggest hurdle we must overcome,” Mines and Energy Minister R. Matenokay Tingban said at the launch.
He said the sector could contribute “appreciable levels beyond three billion dollars” to the national budget if investment is directed toward areas with the highest returns.
Tingban said Liberia must move beyond dependence on royalties and pursue equity participation in extractive ventures, supported by stronger national capacity for geological research and data generation.
“The future must see Liberia growing from royalty collection to equity participation,” he said.
Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General Dorbor Jallah described mining and energy as one of the country’s most reliable sources of domestic revenue and key to fiscal sustainability.
“Every dollar invested in this sector returns many more to the government,” Jallah said, adding that improved licensing systems, sound policy frameworks and reliable production data would be critical to boosting revenue.
He pledged closer collaboration between the LRA and the MME through data sharing, digital integration and coordinated oversight across the extractive value chain.
“The success of this plan will be judged by how well we transform our resources into real development outcomes,” Jallah said.
Jeremiah G. Sokan, chair of the House Committee on Mines, Energy and Natural Resources, warned that illegal and unregulated mining continues to undermine state revenue and deprive communities of benefits, particularly in border and resource-rich regions.
“Our natural resources are being depleted, even while communities barely feel the impact,” Sokan said, calling for stronger regulation, better inter-agency coordination and increased community participation.
Under the strategy, the ministry plans to decentralise mining and energy services across all 15 counties, modernise outdated laws, formalise artisanal and small-scale mining, and upgrade geological and hydrological data systems.
The ministry has already opened its first county office in Bentol and plans to establish fully functional offices nationwide. Thirty mining engineers and geologists have been recruited as county mining officers and resident geologists to provide technical coverage across the country.
The first group of recruits is expected to travel to India in early 2026 for health, safety and inspection training. The ministry also plans to construct five ministry-owned facilities in five counties by 2029.
Legal reforms are also underway. The ministry is reviewing a Mining Law that is more than 25 years old, along with mineral policies dating back over 15 years. A revised Mining Law has been submitted to the Office of the President, while more than six mining regulations have already been finalised and are operational.
Much of Liberia’s geological and hydrological data dates back to 1972. To address this, the ministry is working with partners including China, the United States Geological Survey and France to comprehensively update national geoscientific information by 2029.
Formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining is another priority. Currently, only about 500 miners are licensed nationwide. The ministry aims to increase that number to at least 1,000 by 2029 and establish 15 cooperatives, supported by a $1.34 million investment from the African Development Bank.
Institutional strengthening is also central to the plan. The ministry aims to digitise at least 80 percent of its operations by 2029, up from about 40 percent currently. An online licensing system developed with the LRA has already been rolled out, allowing digital applications and payments, including via mobile money.
The total cost of implementing the five-year strategy is estimated at $39.5 million, which the ministry describes as modest compared with the sector’s revenue potential.
Officials say the strategy aligns with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and could help position mining and energy as a long-term driver of sustainable growth.
