Published: July 11, 2025
Monrovia — A coalition of Liberia’s most vocal civil society organizations is demanding immediate answers from the Government of Liberia over what it describes as a secretive and troubling $1.8 billion agreement signed with Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd., the company formerly known as High Power Exploration (HPX). The deal was finalized late Sunday, July 6.
The revelation did not come from the Executive Mansion, nor from any Liberian agency. Instead, it was the United States Embassy in Monrovia that first broke the news of what appears to be the largest single concession agreement in recent Liberian history
In a strongly worded statement released Monday, four leading advocacy groups—the Coalition for Transparent Development (CTD), Center for Public Accountability (CPA), Liberia Civil Rights Network (LCRN), and the Partnership for Equitable Resource Governance (PERG)—said they are alarmed that such a consequential agreement was signed behind closed doors, on a Sunday night, without legislative oversight or public consultation.
The groups said the timing of the deal’s signing—mere hours before President Joseph Nyuma Boakai departed for an official visit to Washington—raises red flags. They are questioning whether the agreement was part of broader, undisclosed geopolitical negotiations and whether Liberians are being used as bargaining chips in backroom diplomacy.
They also questioned the valuation of the deal, asking what specifically constitutes the much-touted $1.8 billion figure. The Ivanhoe press release mentions two staged payments of $10 million and $15 million respectively, but offers no clarity on how the remaining value is calculated. The groups are asking whether the amount reflects tangible capital expenditures, projected profits from Guinean ore exports, or merely speculative infrastructure costs.
Furthermore, the civil society coalition raised concerns about the rail infrastructure provisions embedded in the deal. They pointed out that the agreement reportedly grants Ivanhoe access to transport up to 30 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of Guinean iron ore using Liberia’s rail corridor—a sharp jump from the 5 mtpa originally requested by Guinea in a formal communication in 2019. They argue that no known rail capacity study has been published to justify this massive allocation, and warned that giving away all remaining capacity to a foreign entity could choke out local mining interests.
According to the groups, such a monopoly on the rail line could mean that small Liberian mining companies and future domestic projects would be structurally excluded from accessing the national infrastructure. They questioned whether any thought was given to Liberia’s long-term strategic needs before such a vast capacity was committed.
Another major point of contention is the total absence of public consultation. The groups said there is no evidence that economic or environmental impact assessments have been carried out or shared with the public. They believe this silence underscores a dangerous return to a governance model characterized by secrecy and elite negotiations that sideline the people.
They are also demanding clarity on whether President Boakai himself personally signed the agreement in the early hours of Monday morning before his U.S. trip, and if so, under what legal and procedural circumstances. The implications, they stressed, are far too great for Liberians to remain in the dark.
The civil society coalition is now calling on President Boakai to immediately publish the full text of the agreement so that the public can evaluate the terms for themselves. They are also urging the National Investment Commission and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to host an open press conference to explain the motivations, mechanics, and projected outcomes of the deal.
In addition, they are calling on the Liberian Legislature to ensure that no ratification of the agreement takes place without full legislative scrutiny and public hearings. The statement also appealed to the international community to encourage transparency in all investment agreements involving Liberia, warning that any partnership made in secret undermines both trust and democratic governance.
The civil society groups emphasized that their demand is not anti-investment. Instead, they said, it is about safeguarding public trust, ensuring that Liberia’s natural resources benefit its people, and avoiding the mistakes of the past where night-time deals resulted in national exploitation and long-term poverty.
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