By Margret Nyuma
Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah has confirmed the signing of a closed-door $1.8 billion dollar railway deal with U.S. owned, Ivanhoe Atlantic (HPX), a Delaware-based company.
The controversial mineral agreement was secretly signed on Sunday, July 6, 2025 with no Journalist in attendance, and no public disclosure of the deal.
The Liberian Investigator newspaper quotes DN-News as saying, “they (Journalists) had been invited to attend the signing originally scheduled for Saturday, July 5 2025. However, the ceremony was postponed to Sunday, July 6. When the reporters arrived at the NIC on the new date, they were denied access and informed that media coverage had been revoked due to a last-minute change in protocol”.
Sunday’s questionable closed-door ceremony took place in Monrovia, prior to the departure of President Boakai to the United States of America on Monday, July 8, ahead of a three-day African Leaders Summit hosted by President Trump from July 9–11.
However, HPX agreement seeks to rehabilitate and expand Liberia’s critical railway corridor from Tokadeh, Nimba County, to the Port of Buchanan in Grand Bassa.
It also includes the construction of new rail links into neighboring Guinea to facilitate the transport of iron ore from Guinean mines through Liberian ports.
Minister Piah told a Tuesday MICAT news conference that the agreement marks the formal signing of a contract between the Republic of Liberia and HPX- nothing, it will be submitted to the Legislature for ratification.
He emphasized, the investment will generate thousands of jobs for Liberians and make a substantial contribution to the nation’s economy.
