Key Facts
—What. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai signed Executive Order No. 171, creating a council to plan a state-owned National Minerals Company
—Who. The Liberia Chamber of Mines, the mining industry association led by Amara Kamara, welcomed the order
—Deadline. The council must send a draft National Minerals Company Act to the Legislature within twelve months
—Status. The company does not exist yet, and only the Legislature can create it
—As of 12 November 2026, 20:10 GMT.
Liberia’s president has signed an order to design a state-owned mining company, and the country’s mining industry association says it welcomes the move. The company itself does not exist yet, and only the Legislature can create it.
What the Order Does
Executive Order No. 171 sets up a temporary inter-agency council of several government bodies. Its job is to draft the Act and build the legal, institutional and financial framework for the company, according to the order as summarised in Liberian press reports and by the Liberia Chamber of Mines.
The draft law must reach the National Legislature, Liberia’s parliament, within twelve months. Summaries of the order say the council works under the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the mining regulator, and is paid from that ministry’s existing budget.
The same summaries say the council cannot borrow money, sign binding mining agreements or commit public funds, and must give the president a first report within 90 days of its members’ appointment. We have not seen the full text of the order, so these details rest on those summaries.
Where the Idea Came From
President Boakai announced plans for a state mining company, then called the National Mining Company of Liberia, at the recently held Liberia Mining and Energy Conference (LIMEC 2026). He also signalled plans for a sovereign wealth fund, a state savings fund built from resource income.
The Chamber says a well-designed company could give Liberia “a stronger platform” for taking part in mining, promoting national value creation and mobilising investment. Our earlier coverage of the conference is in Liberia Eyes US$3 Billion Mining Investment.
What the Mining Industry Wants
The Chamber says the company’s success will depend on sound corporate governance, commercial independence, transparency and accountability. It also wants a clear line between the company’s commercial interests and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the government body that regulates mining.
In the Chamber’s view this would protect existing investments and keep the climate predictable for domestic and international miners. It says it is ready to give the government, the council and the Legislature technical input.
Summaries of the order point the same way, saying the ministry keeps its regulatory powers and any future company must act strictly as a commercial entity. That matches the Chamber’s main request.
What It Means for You
Liberia is a West African country settled by freed African Americans and independent since 1847, and iron ore and gold are among its main minerals. A state-owned player could change the terms on which investors compete for access to them.
The order sets only a design process, not a company. Nothing in the Chamber’s account says who would fund it or whether it would take stakes in existing mines.
What to Watch Next
The checkpoint is the draft Act due within twelve months, and the first report to the president due within 90 days of the council’s appointment. Until then, the council’s membership and any public consultation will show how much say private miners get.
Readers who want the wider picture can follow our Liberia news page. It carries the country’s mining, energy and politics coverage.
What Is Not Known
The full text of the order and the date it was signed are not confirmed here. The company’s own funding, powers and any plan to take stakes in existing mines are also unknown.
We found no comment from the Ministry of Mines and Energy on the Chamber’s proposed safeguards. Its response would show how far the government accepts them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Liberia’s National Minerals Company?
It is a proposed state-owned company for Liberia’s mining sector. It does not exist yet: the order only sets up a council to design it.
What is Executive Order No. 171?
It is President Boakai’s order creating an inter-agency council. The council is to draft the law and prepare the legal, institutional and financial framework for the company.
When will the draft law be ready?
The council is expected to submit a draft National Minerals Company Act to the Legislature within twelve months. Lawmakers would then have to debate and pass it.
What does the Chamber of Mines want?
It wants strong governance, commercial independence, transparency and a clear split from the Ministry of Mines and Energy as regulator. It says it is ready to give technical input.
Sources: Statement of the Liberia Chamber of Mines on Executive Order No. 171, published by 12 November 2026; summaries of Executive Order No. 171 in Liberian press reports of 12 November 2026; remarks by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at LIMEC 2026, October 2026.
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