Monrovia — Liberia has secured a seat at the continental petroleum regulatory table following the induction of the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority into the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), strengthening the country’s efforts to build regulatory capacity as its oil and gas program expands.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The membership brings Liberia into a continental network of petroleum regulators working to promote safe, efficient, equitable and sustainable development of Africa’s petroleum resources.
For the LPRA, the move is expected to provide greater access to regulatory expertise, technical training and knowledge-sharing while helping Liberia align its petroleum governance framework with emerging continental standards.
AFRIPERF was established in Accra, Ghana, on September 18, 2025, following a meeting of petroleum regulators from 16 African countries. Eight countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo — initially signed the Forum’s Charter.
The Forum seeks to bridge gaps in petroleum regulatory capacity across Africa by harmonizing regulatory standards, promoting knowledge and technology transfer, strengthening institutional capacity and coordinating African regulators on global energy policy.
As a member, the LPRA will participate in technical working groups, training programs and regulatory experience-sharing platforms. The Authority says the knowledge gained will be applied to Liberia’s oversight of its growing hydrocarbon sector, particularly in the areas of safety, environmental protection and transparency.
Liberia’s induction comes as the LPRA oversees eight active Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and prepares for its 2026 Direct Negotiation Petroleum Licensing Round, scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“Regulating an active offshore program is a technical business, and the fastest way to build that competence is to sit in the room with regulators who have already done it,” LPRA Director General Marilyn Logan said.
Logan said the induction is part of the Authority’s broader strategy of developing bilateral and multilateral partnerships to strengthen its technical capacity and improve Liberia’s ability to manage an expanding petroleum portfolio.
The LPRA is also expected to use its AFRIPERF membership to strengthen Liberia’s regulatory environment ahead of the upcoming licensing round, with the goal of providing greater predictability for investors while essuring that petroleum activities meet appropriate safety and environmental standards.
The Authority’s participation comes at a potentially important stage in Liberia’s emerging petroleum industry, as the government seeks to attract new investment while strengthening oversight of the country’s offshore resources.
Through AFRIPERF, Liberia will now have a platform to engage directly with regulators from across the continent, share lessons from its own petroleum experience and draw on countries with more established oil and gas industries.
The LPRA says it remains committed to the responsible development, regulation and management of Liberia’s petroleum resources for the benefit of all Liberians.
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