Monrovia-President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has issued Executive Order No. 169, renewing the mandate of the Liberia National Railway Liaison Office to complete preparations for the establishment of a permanent national railway regulatory authority.
The Executive Order, dated October 23, 2026, extends the Liaison Office’s responsibilities to include completing technical studies, supporting the passage of legislation, preparing institutional structures, and coordinating the transition to the proposed Liberia National Railway Authority (LNRA).
The order seeks to ensure that the country’s railway sector develops under a regulatory framework that promotes economic growth, regional integration, sustainable development, and an equitable, multi-user, open-access rail system.
According to the order, the Liaison Office has made progress in laying the legal, institutional, and regulatory foundations for the proposed authority since its establishment under earlier executive directives.
Among the reported achievements are securing support from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) for a railway corridor condition and capacity study, completing the competitive procurement of technical advisers, and advancing a draft LNRA Act in collaboration with the Law Reform Commission.
The office has also conducted a validation workshop and stakeholder roundtable discussions, engaged mining companies and development partners, and coordinated with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Ghana Railway Development Authority on railway development.
Under Executive Order No. 169, the Liaison Office is expected to complete outstanding technical assignments, including the condition and capacity study of the Tokadeh–Buchanan railway corridor.
The office will also work with technical experts to develop proposed railway safety standards, regulatory frameworks, and draft regulations to guide the sector.
On the legislative front, the Liaison Office is mandated to finalize the draft Liberia National Railway Authority Act in collaboration with the Law Reform Commission and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
The draft legislation will then be submitted through the Ministry of State for consideration by the National Legislature.
The order directs the office to provide lawmakers and legislative committees with technical information and policy support while respecting the Legislature’s independence in considering the proposed law.
The establishment of the LNRA is intended to create a permanent institution capable of regulating and facilitating the country’s railway sector, subject to the enactment of the necessary legislation.
The Executive Order also requires the Liaison Office to prepare organizational, staffing, financial, and administrative plans for the future authority.
These preparations will include organizational structures, budget estimates, funding arrangements, and environmental and climate-resilience safeguards.
The office is further expected to lay the groundwork for a multi-user, open-access railway system designed to provide fair and transparent access to different railway users.
In addition, the office will continue consultations with mining companies, local communities, industry stakeholders, and development partners to ensure that their views are considered in designing the authority and preparing the draft legislation.
The order also emphasizes regional cooperation with ECOWAS, neighboring countries, and international partners to support integrated railway development.
Executive Order No. 169 provides that the Liaison Office will continue operating while the proposed LNRA legislation is being considered by the National Legislature.
During this period, the office will maintain its essential advisory and coordination functions while completing preparations for the new authority.
It may also prepare draft regulations, by-laws, and rules of procedure for the proposed institution. However, those instruments cannot take effect before the enabling legislation is enacted and becomes effective.
The order further states that if legislative consideration extends beyond the current session or the initially anticipated timeframe, the Liaison Office will continue operating under the executive order until the Act is passed or the President amends or revokes the order.
Any extension beyond a reasonable transition period must be justified in writing and approved through a separate Executive Order.
Once the Liberia National Railway Authority Act is enacted and becomes effective, the Liaison Office will begin the transition to the new statutory institution.
Under the order, the office will have 90 days from the Act’s effective date to complete the handover of its responsibilities.
During that period, the Liaison Office must transfer institutional records, technical studies, draft regulations, stakeholder submissions, and other documents developed under its mandate.
Government-owned equipment and furniture will also be transferred to the new authority.
Contracts and agreements may be assigned to the LNRA only where permitted by law and with any required consent. Obligations that cannot be transferred must be settled in accordance with applicable laws.
The order further provides for the transition of the Liaison Officer and staff assigned to the office into the new authority, except for those who choose to return to their previous status.
At the end of the 90-day period, the Liaison Officer must submit a final transition report to the President and the Legislature, certifying that the required handover tasks have been completed.
Following acceptance of the report, the Liaison Office will be formally dissolved, with any remaining transitional responsibilities transferred to the permanent authority or another appropriate government institution, as provided by law.
President Boakai issued the order under the executive authority vested in the presidency by Article 50 of the Liberian Constitution.
The order takes effect immediately upon issuance and will remain in force until the Liaison Office is terminated following the transition process or until the President amends or revokes it, whichever occurs first.
The renewal marks another step in the government’s preparations to establish a permanent railway authority, with the proposed legislation expected to provide the statutory foundation for the institution.
The eventual establishment of the LNRA is expected to provide a formal regulatory structure for railway operations and support the development of an open-access system intended to serve multiple users.
However, the authority’s formal establishment and the implementation of its regulatory powers depend on the enactment and entry into force of the proposed legislation.
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