West Africa: Boakai Reaffirms Liberty Corridor Vision, Positions Liberia As Gateway to the Atlantic for West Africa
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has restated his commitment to making Liberia the Atlantic gateway for its landlocked neighbors, framing the Liberty Corridor as the centerpiece of his administration’s regional economic strategy.
Speaking at the EJS Ministerial Complex on Tuesday during a ceremony honoring African Development Bank (AfDB) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and launching the Liberia Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB), Boakai said the ambitious infrastructure project would connect Liberia with Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, transforming the nation into a hub for cross-border trade and logistics.
“As we look to the future, we sincerely hope that your successor at the African Development Bank will give thoughtful consideration to the Liberty Corridor Project — an ambitious infrastructure initiative connecting Liberia to Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali,” Boakai said. “While this project is fundamentally about regional integration and shared prosperity, we must admit, we would also love to play the role of a gateway for our landlocked neighbors to access the Atlantic!”
The Liberty Corridor builds on a historic Bilateral Implementation Agreement between Liberia and Guinea, which was ratified by both countries in 2019 to allow Guinean iron ore to be exported via Liberia using the Yekepa-to-Buchanan rail and port infrastructure. This agreement has become the cornerstone of ongoing collaboration between the two Mano River Union nations and serves as the framework for the multibillion-dollar Concession and Access Agreement recently signed between Liberia and U.S.-owned Ivanhoe Atlantic.
Under this deal, Ivanhoe Atlantic will evacuate iron ore from its Kon Kweni project in Guinea’s Lola region through Liberia. This project is part of a broader vision to establish a Green Steel plant in Guinea, an industrial facility that aligns with global decarbonization efforts and sits squarely within the Liberty Corridor’s footprint. The proposed plant would allow for local processing of high-grade iron ore, adding value to Guinea’s raw materials before export and further solidifying the corridor as a hub for integrated mining and industrial activity.
The cross-border nature of this project was underscored earlier this month when Ivanhoe executives met with Guinea’s Prime Minister, Amadou Oury Bah, to advance discussions on the Green Steel plant and other infrastructure developments within the Liberty Corridor. The meeting reaffirmed Guinea’s commitment to the shared infrastructure vision with Liberia and its alignment with regional development goals.
For Liberia, the corridor offers a transformative opportunity with an estimated 12 billion tons of iron ore in deposits, 7 billion of which are situated on the Liberia side of the corridor.
Earlier this year, the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC) signed a landmark US$1.8 billion Concession and Access Agreement with Ivanhoe Atlantic, enabling the company to use Liberia’s existing rail and port system to transport iron ore. Once ratified by the Legislature, the deal is expected to generate approximately US$1.4 billion in rail access fees, US$600 million in taxes, US$175 million in direct support to Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties, and US$25 million in upfront payments. This is in addition to the US$37 million Ivanhoe Atlantic already paid to Liberia under a 2022 Framework Agreement.
These agreements form part of Boakai’s broader multiuser rail policy, enshrined in Executive Order 136, which established the National Rail Authority to regulate and oversee independent operatorship of Liberia’s railways. The policy effectively ends ArcelorMittal Liberia’s longstanding monopoly over the Yekepa-Buchanan corridor, opening the infrastructure to multiple users and unlocking the potential for new mining, agricultural, and freight ventures.
The Liberty Corridor vision also draws inspiration from the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor in Southern Africa, which links Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. Much like Lobito, the Liberty Corridor is designed to integrate transport, mining, and industrial development, turning Liberia into a strategic logistics and trade hub for the subregion.
In his remarks, Boakai emphasized that the project is more than an economic lifeline; it is part of Liberia’s diplomatic and development strategy to deepen ties with neighboring states and global partners. “We believe this corridor holds great potential for unlocking growth and strengthening cross-border trade,” he said.
The President’s address also highlighted the AfDB’s ongoing contributions to Liberia’s development, with a current portfolio of about US$408 million spanning 18 projects in transport, energy, agriculture, finance, and governance. Boakai credited the Bank for helping rebuild trust in public institutions through financial management reforms and lauded its role in improving service delivery.
The launch of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB) during the same event further underscored Boakai’s domestic development agenda. The initiative, aimed at providing financing, mentorship, and technical training to turn Liberia’s young population into job creators, aligns with the administration’s ARREST Agenda for economic revitalization and private sector growth.
With the Ivanhoe deal now heading to the Legislature for ratification and the Liberty Corridor gaining momentum, Liberia is positioning itself as a gateway to the Atlantic for Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali–a role that could redefine its place in regional and global trade.
By Liberian Observer.
