In a meaningful stride toward repositioning Liberia on the West African energy map, the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) has wrapped up a high-profile three-day strategic retreat in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
Bringing together senior executives, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and key development partners, the event set an ambitious roadmap for Liberia’s oil and gas industry under the banner: “Building a Resilient Energy Sector: Strategy, Sustainability, and Success.”
The retreat, hailed by participants as a milestone moment, featured in-depth dialogues on accelerating oil exploration, strengthening technical capacity, ensuring robust governance, and forging stronger partnerships across the region. Senior representatives from the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA), Ministry of Lands and Mines, as well as major sector players such as Conex Liberia and Aminata, joined NOCAL leaders in charting the sector’s next chapter.
NOCAL’s Acting President/CEO, Hon. Fabian Michael Lai, set a transformative tone at the opening session: “This is Liberia’s moment to transform its energy sector into a powerhouse of equitable growth.” Board Chairperson Cllr. Gloria M. Scott echoed this vision, pledging that the country’s natural resources would fuel improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, and not simply fill government coffers.
A highlight of the retreat was the presentation and review of a revamped set of internal policies by Vice President for Administration, M. Boakai Jaleiba, Jr., signaling NOCAL’s renewed focus on transparency, accountability, and alignment with Liberia’s energy roadmap.
Rixck W. Barsi-Giah, Vice President for Technical Services, showcased the company’s latest advances in seismic data, reservoir mapping, and onshore survey operations, underscoring NOCAL’s embrace of innovative, data-driven management.
At the core of the conference was the unveiling of NOCAL’s ambitious Five-Year Strategic Plan, structured around seven core themes. The plan lays out targets including the acquisition of new geological data, expansion into midstream and downstream services, and support for upstream exploration activities through enhanced technical expertise.
The retreat concluded with a site visit by NOCAL leadership and board members to the company’s two Buchanan properties—spanning over 200 acres—to begin leveraging these assets for national development.
Representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Minister of State Hon. Samuel Steve Stevquoah reaffirmed full government backing, stating: “Every barrel of oil must translate into roads, jobs, and clinics. NOCAL’s success is Liberia’s success.” The message underscored a unified government-industry approach to ensuring that sector growth yields tangible benefits for ordinary Liberians.
The newly refined five-year blueprint is expected to attract fresh investment and bolster Liberia’s reputation in the international energy market, positioning the country as an emerging oil and gas frontier. With its renewed emphasis on sustainability and technical innovation, NOCAL’s plan aims to increase energy sector revenues, expand local job opportunities, and deliver improved infrastructure and services.
Business and financial analysts say the outcomes of the retreat could catalyze broader economic growth if NOCAL delivers on its promises of better governance, capacity building, and sector-wide engagement.
The 2025 NOCAL Strategic Retreat, stakeholders say, represents a turning point as Liberia seeks to move from potential to tangible progress in its oil and gas industry. The company’s leadership now faces the challenge—and the opportunity—of translating ambitious plans into real-world energy and economic dividends for Liberia’s people.
