Liberia: LACRA, Oil Palm Firms Move to Resolve Regulatory Disputes Through Joint Committee

MONROVIA — The Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and major oil palm concessionaires have agreed to establish a joint technical mechanism aimed at resolving regulatory concerns and improving cooperation within one of Liberia’s key agricultural sectors.

By Selma Lomax, [email protected] 

The decision followed a high-level one-day dialogue on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, bringing together LACRA officials and representatives of major oil palm companies under the Liberia Agriculture Concession Association (LACA).

Rather than allowing regulatory disagreements and operational challenges to remain unresolved, the parties agreed to create a six-member Technical Committee that will provide a structured forum for examining concerns affecting the industry. The committee will consist of three representatives from LACRA and three representatives from the concessionaires.

The proposed committee is expected to undertake a broad review of the regulatory framework governing the oil palm sector, with particular attention to royalty obligations, quality control, regulatory compliance and export requirements.

LACRA Director General Christopher D. Sankolo said the agreement demonstrates the importance of bringing regulators and operators together to discuss problems affecting the industry and identify areas where practical solutions can be developed.

“The dialogue provides an opportunity for the regulator and concessionaires to sit together, understand the challenges confronting one another, and work toward common ground. Our objective is to strengthen regulation while ensuring that the practical realities of the sector are also taken into consideration,” Sankolo said.

Sankolo said sustained engagement between LACRA and concessionaires would be important as Liberia seeks to strengthen the performance and contribution of the oil palm industry.

He said the regulatory authority is prepared to work with stakeholders within its mandate to address concerns that could affect the effective operation of the sector, while maintaining the standards required by law and regulation.

“We believe that regular dialogue can help us address emerging issues before they become bigger challenges. LACRA remains committed to collaboration, compliance and finding workable approaches that can improve the regulatory environment for the oil palm industry,” Sankolo said.

The concessionaires used the meeting to raise a number of operational concerns, including theft affecting their activities and difficulties associated with obtaining additional land contemplated under their respective concession agreements.

Those concerns formed part of the broader discussion on how the government, regulators and concessionaires can improve coordination and create conditions that allow companies to operate more effectively while meeting their regulatory responsibilities.

The establishment of the committee also gives the parties an avenue to examine concerns surrounding royalty payments and other regulatory obligations in greater detail. Its work is expected to help clarify areas of the existing regulatory framework that may require further review or better coordination.

The committee’s Terms of Reference will be developed after the three representatives from the concessionaires are selected. Once constituted, the committee is expected to begin its work immediately.

The dialogue also placed emphasis on quality control and export compliance, areas that remain important to the credibility and competitiveness of Liberia’s agricultural commodities in both domestic and international markets.

Officials from LACA participated in the meeting, including its Chairman, Richard Fallah, while Elvis Morris, Vice President of Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), also attended. Representatives from Mano Palm Oil, Equatorial Palm Oil and Maryland Oil Palm were among the participants.

The new technical arrangement is expected to extend beyond the immediate concerns raised during Wednesday’s meeting by providing a continuing platform for discussions on policy, compliance, quality standards, royalties and other issues affecting the oil palm industry.

The initiative comes as stakeholders seek greater institutional cooperation in the sector and reflects an effort by the regulator and concessionaires to address their differences through dialogue while identifying measures that could strengthen the industry’s contribution to Liberia’s economy.