By: TPA News Desk | Local Stories | www.thepointafricanews.com/africa/local-stories

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has thrown his full support behind a landmark shift in Liberia’s petroleum sector, endorsing the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) to directly import fuel into the country. The decision, revealed during his Independence Day address on July 26, is part of a broader government effort to stabilize fuel prices, ensure consistent supply, and reduce the burden on Liberian consumers amid frequent shortages and erratic pricing.

In his address, President Boakai said the move would not replace private importers but rather complement them through what he termed a “dual-track supply system.” According to the President, empowering the LPRC to participate in the importation of petroleum products will enhance transparency, introduce healthy competition, and restore public trust in a market long dominated by a few private entities.

Boakai’s announcement comes against the backdrop of growing public frustration over fuel scarcity and price volatility in Monrovia and other parts of the country. Long queues at gas stations have become a recurring problem, triggering public outcry and disruptions in transport and commerce. The President underscored that the government could no longer afford to remain a passive observer while Liberians endured economic shocks from fuel instability. “We cannot continue to rely solely on the private sector for this strategic commodity,” Boakai declared. “Government must play a responsible role.”

Multiple independent media reports, including coverage from FrontPage Africa, Smart News Liberia, and Liberian Investigator, have confirmed Boakai’s backing of the LPRC strategy. The LPRC, long relegated to fuel storage and distribution, will now assume a more active role in securing and supplying petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. In a parallel development, the company has embarked on constructing a major 17,000-cubic-meter gasoline tank and a petroleum testing laboratory on Bushrod Island. These projects, which the President broke ground for earlier this month, are intended to support the new import capacity with improved quality control and storage.

The President’s decision was met with cautious optimism by analysts who argue that Liberia’s fuel import market has long lacked proper oversight. Critics have accused certain private importers of hoarding products, inflating prices, and leveraging supply chain gaps to maximize profit at the expense of consumers. Government officials say the LPRC’s re-entry into the market will provide a check on these practices and create a fairer environment for both businesses and the public.

Social media channels and local community reports further amplified news of the policy shift, noting that more than 3.5 million gallons of petroleum products were expected to arrive as part of LPRC’s initial efforts. That quantity, once distributed, is projected to ease the short-term fuel crisis and signal the start of a more predictable national supply system.

President Boakai, who once worked at LPRC during his early career, also pointed to his previous suspension of import surcharges as proof of his administration’s resolve to make petroleum products more affordable. While the LPRC’s new importation mandate is not without challenges—including concerns over efficiency and bureaucratic bottlenecks—Boakai reassured the public that strong regulatory measures will accompany the initiative to ensure accountability and sustainability.

The initiative marks one of the most ambitious state-led interventions in Liberia’s energy sector in recent years. If successfully implemented, it could redefine the role of government in managing strategic commodities and provide a model for addressing structural inefficiencies in other key sectors of the economy.