By Amos Harris
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has launched a fully digital mineral rights application system, transitioning the once manual, paper-driven licensing process into an online platform intended to boost transparency, efficiency, and investor confidence in Liberia’s extractive sector.
The new system, unveiled on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, during a well-attended ceremony in Monrovia, allows applicants to apply for, renew, and track mineral rights remotely without traveling to the Ministry’s central or county offices. The reform is being hailed as one of the most significant overhauls of Liberia’s mineral governance framework in recent years.
Deputy Minister for Planning, Research, and Development, Franseth Mulbah, described the launch as “a new era” for the Ministry, emphasizing that digitalization will reduce bureaucratic delays, enhance clarity for investors, and align Liberia with established global best practices.
Speaking on behalf of Mines and Energy Minister R. Matenokay Tingban, Deputy Minister for Operations William Hines praised the technical teams and development partners who helped bring the system online. He said the platform meets international standards and demonstrates the Ministry’s commitment to accountability, improved ease of doing business, and institutional reform across the mineral sector.
“This digital shift means miners and potential investors no longer have to incur high travel costs just to access licensing services,” Hines noted. “The process is now efficient, transparent, and accessible from anywhere.”
A live demonstration, led by Cooper Pency, Director of the Mining Cadastre Information Management Unit, showed stakeholders how to navigate the platform, complete applications, renew licenses, and monitor progress in real time. The demonstration included integration with the Liberia Revenue Authority’s online payment system, highlighting efforts to reduce human interference, curb corruption, and ensure verifiable records.
The official ribbon-cutting was performed by Representative Jeremiah Garwo Sokan, Chairman of the House Committee on Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment. He hailed the system as a transformative tool capable of improving revenue forecasting, increasing investor confidence, and strengthening compliance in the fight against illegal mining. Representative Sokan stressed, however, that sustaining the platform will require adequate resource allocation to keep it reliable and functional.
From the fiscal side, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Bill McGill Jones, welcomed the move, saying the digital transition will minimize in-person transactions and reduce opportunities for revenue loss. He pledged the Ministry’s support in helping the Mines and Energy Ministry meet its revenue-generation goals.
Representatives of key sector institutions, including the Chamber of Mines and long-term partner Revenue Development Foundation (RDF), also expressed strong support for the digital upgrade. RDF representative Aasmund Anderson commended Liberia’s consistency in maintaining and improving the system, saying his organization remains committed to assisting with continued technical enhancements.
Deputy Minister for Administration Eudora Blay-Pritchard praised staff, partners, and sector actors for their cooperation, reaffirming the Ministry’s determination to ensure the digital licensing platform becomes a fully operational and trusted pillar of Liberia’s mineral sector governance.
The launch marks a major step toward the modernization of mineral administration, with expectations that the digital system will improve accountability, reduce corruption risks, enhance service delivery, and strengthen Liberia’s competitiveness in the global mining industry.