The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and Nigeria’s Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) have signed a Joint Development Agreement to establish a world-class petroleum logistics base in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, in a move aimed at keeping oil and gas jobs, contracts and services inside Liberia.
The agreement, signed on October 3, 2026, is expected to lay the foundation for the development and operation of the Buchanan Shorebase, which NOCAL says will strengthen local participation in Liberia’s emerging oil and gas industry.
LADOL will serve as NOCAL’s technical lead partner, supporting the feasibility study, engineering design, construction and eventual operation of the shorebase.
The feasibility study is expected to begin within 45 days and run for six months. It will assess land requirements, waterfront and marine access, utilities, commercial and operational viability, geotechnical and topographical conditions, as well as environmental and social considerations.
The project is being driven by a key challenge exposed during Liberia’s last drilling campaign, when several critical oilfield services were sourced from neighboring countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal.
Those services included waste disposal, logistics, supply-chain management and specialized technical support,meaning significant business opportunities and employment generated by Liberia’s petroleum activities were captured outside the country.
NOCAL President and CEO Fabian M. Lai said the Buchanan Shorebase is intended to change that pattern as Liberia prepares for increased drilling activities under existing and future petroleum agreements.
“This partnership with LADOL is about more than just building a logistic hub for Liberia,” Lai said. “It is about anchoring the value chain of our petroleum sector firmly in Liberian soil.”
He said NOCAL wants jobs, contracts, training and ancillary services connected to the petroleum industry to be increasingly handled by Liberian businesses and workers.
The planned facility is therefore expected to serve as a critical support center for international oil companies operating in Liberia, providing services needed for offshore exploration and drilling activities.
LADOL Executive Chairman Sir Oladipo Ladi Jadesimi said the agreement reflects the company’s confidence in Liberia’s oil and gas potential and its commitment to developing local content across West Africa.
Jadesimi said the company intends to work with Liberia to ensure that local businesses and workers become primary beneficiaries of the country’s petroleum resources.
Under the agreement, NOCAL and LADOL will jointly develop, operate and maintain the shorebase. A Joint Steering Committee will oversee the project, while both parties have committed to negotiating and completing definitive project agreements.
The deal also includes confidentiality and non-circumvention provisions designed to protect the partnership.
For Liberia, the Buchanan Shorebase could become a key test of whether the country can convert future oil exploration into direct economic opportunities for its citizens rather than allowing much of the petroleum services value chain to remain abroad.
NOCAL says the project is part of its broader effort to build local capacity and ensure that Liberia captures more of the economic benefits generated by its oil and gas sector.
