By Emmanuel Kamanda
MONROVIA – A tense jurisdictional conflict between the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) has been peacefully resolved following a high-level, closed-door intervention by the Liberian Senate. The move ends a dispute that had begun to rattle investor confidence in the country’s budding petroleum sector.
The Senate summoned leadership from both entities after receiving a formal communication from Senators Amara M. Konneh and Jonathan Boye Charles Sogbie. The lawmakers had raised alarms that an ongoing disagreement over regulatory authority could undermine governance and scare off potential investment in Liberia’s hydrocarbon industry.
Information obtained by Verity Newspaper from inside the closed-door hearing indicates that Senate mediators successfully convinced both institutions to set aside their differences in the national interest—prioritizing a level playing field for investors and the smooth operation of the sector.
Following the Senate’s intervention, the parties agreed to move forward cooperatively, ending a standoff that had sparked concern among lawmakers and industry watchers alike.
At the heart of the controversy were reports that NOCAL had entered into agreements with foreign firms GeoPartners and Searcher to conduct petroleum reconnaissance activities without first securing the required licenses from the LPRA. A position NOCAL vehemently contested arguing that responsibilities prescribed to them in Sections 12 of the Petroleum Law precludes them from applying for reconnaissance license. This prompted Senators Konneh and Sogbie to seek legislative action, warning that such actions could violate the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 2014.
The senators specifically cited Section 11.1 of the law, which clearly requires any company intending to carry out reconnaissance surveys within a designated petroleum area to obtain a license from the LPRA and pay the prescribed fees. This Section according to NOCAL is for international oil companies not the state owned oil company. The law intentionally separates responsibilities: NOCAL acts as a commercial state-owned entity, while the LPRA holds exclusive regulatory oversight over upstream petroleum activities—including monitoring NOCAL’s operations.
“This governance architecture was designed to enforce accountability, prevent conflicts of interest, and align Liberia’s legal framework with international best practices,” the senators wrote in their communication to Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence. They warned that any ambiguity over regulatory authority would weaken the rule of law and create uncertainty for potential investors.
To resolve the matter, the Senate summoned key officials, including the Minister of Justice, the Deputy Minister of Energy, the Director-General of the LPRA, the President and CEO of NOCAL, and the chairpersons of both boards.
Key outcomes from the meeting include:
NOCAL will proceed with their ongoing reconnaissance to acquire geological and geophysical data while the Legislature reviews relevant provisions of the law for amendment that will provide more clarity. The Minister of Justice will convene a meeting with both board chairs to foster a harmonious working relationship.
The LPRA will maintain its regulatory oversight role without interference.
With the Senate leadership’s intervention, attention now shifts to strengthening regulatory coordination, ensuring that Liberia’s petroleum governance framework remains transparent, predictable, and attractive to investors.
The resolution is widely seen as a critical step toward preserving confidence in the sector, reinforcing adherence to law, institutional accountability, and responsible management of the nation’s natural resources.
