Liberia Joins African Petroleum Regulators Forum

MONROVIA, Liberia, September 8, 2026 — The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) has been inducted into the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), giving Liberia a seat in a continental body aimed at strengthening cooperation and harmonizing petroleum regulation across Africa.

The LPRA said its membership will provide Liberia access to technical expertise, training and regulatory experience as the country advances its offshore oil and gas program and seeks to attract new investment into the sector.

AFRIPERF brings together petroleum regulatory authorities across Africa to promote a safe, efficient, equitable and sustainable petroleum industry.

The forum seeks to harmonize regulatory standards, particularly in safety and environmental protection, while promoting knowledge and technology sharing, capacity building and greater cooperation among African petroleum regulators.

Liberia’s membership comes as the LPRA manages eight active Production Sharing Contracts and conducts prequalification for its 2026 Direct Negotiation Petroleum Licensing Round, scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of this year.

LPRA Director General Marilyn Logan said participation in the continental body would allow Liberia to draw on the experience of countries with more developed petroleum industries.

“Regulating an active offshore program is a technical business, and the fastest way to build that competence is to sit in the room with regulators who have already done it,” Logan said.

She said the induction forms part of the authority’s broader strategy to establish bilateral and multilateral partnerships to strengthen its technical and institutional capacity as Liberia expands its petroleum portfolio.

According to the LPRA, membership will allow its officials to participate in technical working groups, training programs and experience-sharing platforms with counterparts from other African petroleum-producing countries.

The authority said knowledge gained through those engagements would be applied to the regulation and oversight of Liberia’s hydrocarbon sector.

It also expects the partnership to help align Liberia’s petroleum regulatory framework with emerging continental standards on safety, environmental protection and transparency, including standards relevant to the upcoming licensing round.

AFRIPERF was established in Accra, Ghana, on September 18, 2025, following a meeting of petroleum regulators from 16 African countries.

Eight countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea and Togo — signed the forum’s charter at its establishment.

The organization is intended to strengthen collaboration among African petroleum regulators and provide a common platform for addressing regulatory challenges and advancing the continent’s interests in global energy policy.

The LPRA said Liberia’s participation is expected to strengthen its regulatory capacity and contribute to a more predictable operating environment for investors.

The authority reaffirmed its commitment to the responsible development, regulation and management of Liberia’s petroleum resources for the benefit of the country.