President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has formally submitted Amendment #3 to the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between the Government of Liberia and ArcelorMittal for legislative enactment. The Liberian leader placed the responsibility squarely on lawmakers to determine the long-term implications of one of the country’s most significant concession agreements.
The submission was made through a communication addressed to House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and read during the opening sitting of the first quarter of the third session of the 55th Legislature. Originally signed on August 17, 2005 and ratified under former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the agreement has undergone two previous amendments in 2006 and 2013. The newly proposed Third Amendment, signed on December 20, 2025, consolidates all prior amendments into a single, fully restated document. According to the Liberian leader, the revised agreement reflects the outcome of extensive negotiations involving the Government of Liberia, ArcelorMittal Liberia Holdings Limited as concessionaire, ArcelorMittal USA Liberia Holdings LLC as principal, and ArcelorMittal Liberia Limited as operating company.
President Boakai told lawmakers that the Third Amendment introduces new governance frameworks, infrastructure obligations, and financial terms that require careful legislative consideration before ratification. One of the central provisions is the introduction of Railroad System Operating Principles (RSOP), under which the government gains the authority to establish a multi-user rail regime along the Yekepa-Buchanan corridor. The framework also outlines a transition to an independent, government-regulated rail authority by 2030, a move aligned with Liberia’s broader infrastructure policy.
The amendment also extends the duration of the MDA to December 20, 2050, with an option for renewal—effectively binding future administrations to the terms of the agreement for decades. In terms of mining operations, ArcelorMittal Liberia has committed to scaling up production from 15 million wet metric tons per annum by 2027, to 20 million by 2031, and up to 30 million in later years, a provision that lawmakers are expected to examine in relation to environmental, economic, and regulatory impacts. Financially, the agreement includes an upfront payment of US$200 million to the Government of Liberia and increases the annual Mining License Fee from US$50,000 to US$500,000.
The amendment further obligates ArcelorMittal Liberia to contribute US$5 million annually to a Community Development Fund intended to support towns and villages within the concession area. Upon ratification, the company must submit a detailed Social Infrastructure Plan covering projects in Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties, including the rehabilitation of the KM 2.5 Bridge in Buchanan, paving of concession roads to Tubman Street, rehabilitation of the St. John River Bridge, and the establishment of a Vocational Training Center in Buchanan.
To enforce compliance, the agreement introduces penalties ranging from US$250,000 to US$500,000 annually for delays or failures in implementing approved social infrastructure projects. President Boakai urged lawmakers to examine the amendment in the interest of transparency, accountability, and national development, noting that the Legislature’s decision will shape Liberia’s extractive sector and infrastructure landscape for generations.
Author: Alpha Lymas
