ArcelorMittal Liberia risks being found in contempt of the legislature after it skipped two key meetings tied to the creation of a multi-user rail system in the west African nation, slowing access for mining company Ivanhoe Atlantic, according to lawmakers.
The company failed to attend a National Validation Workshop on Thursday at the Ministry of Mines and Energy for the establishment of Liberia’s National Railway Authority, or NRA, and also declined to appear at a meeting in Tokadeh ordered by the House of Representatives Committee on Investments and Concessions, lawmakers said.
The committee had called the meeting to resolve stockpiling issues and advance preparations for a multi-user rail framework.
ArcelorMittal’s “delay tactics must end,” committee chair Rep. Foday Fahnbulleh said last week, as the legislature pressed for senior executives and technical staff from all parties to meet in Tokadeh and settle the outstanding issues. The company’s nonattendance has slowed progress on rail access, lawmakers say.
The standoff comes as Liberia tries to transition key rail infrastructure toward a multi-user system overseen by an independent operator.
Ivanhoe Liberia’s Concession and Access Agreement was ratified by the legislature in December 2025, paving the way for the new framework, under which multiple companies would be allowed to use sovereign rail assets.
The NRA is intended to bring rail infrastructure under stronger public oversight, with a mandate to set performance standards, review finances and impose sanctions for noncompliance.
The agency would help ensure privately operated rail infrastructure serves the public interest, while also improving safety, transparency and accountability.
The issue is particularly sensitive along the Yekepa-Buchanan rail corridor, where there have been repeated accidents and concerns about deteriorating track conditions, including reports of rotting timber and rail shifts.
President Joseph Boakai’s administration sees the effort as part of its ARREST development agenda, which emphasizes inclusive growth and better management of national assets.
Lawmakers and officials are calling on all stakeholders to cooperate and avoid further delays, saying the uncertainty is discouraging investment and hurting Liberia’s long-term economic prospects.
ArcelorMittal Liberia did not respond to Oracle News Daily’s inquiry regarding its absence at events organized by authorities to rollout the governance structure of the national rail system.
