IPNEWS: Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, R. Matenokay Tingban, has unveiled the government’s plan to establish the country’s first state-owned mining enterprise—the National Mining Company of Liberia (NMCL).
Minister Tingban explained that the NMCL will function as the government’s commercial arm in the mining sector, holding equity stakes in mineral investments nationwide. The initiative aims to generate thousands of jobs, safeguard Liberia’s natural resources, and ensure that the nation captures greater value from its mineral wealth.
He emphasized that Liberia is shifting away from a royalty‑only model toward equity participation in mining ventures. For decades, he noted, raw minerals have been exported with minimal benefit to affected communities. A Liberian-owned mining company, he said, will help correct this imbalance by promoting local value addition and ensuring that mining activities deliver direct, tangible benefits to citizens.
The minister made the announcement upon returning to the Roberts International Airport from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he led Liberia’s delegation to the Future Minerals Forum—a premier global platform for dialogue on critical minerals, mining governance, and sustainable resource development. With global demand for critical minerals rising amid industrial expansion and the energy transition, the forum offered Liberia a strategic opportunity to engage investors, policymakers, and technical experts on new partnerships and investment prospects.
