The Government of Liberia has finalized an agreement with Moroccan infrastructure firm Tanger Med Engineering to implement a comprehensive modernization plan for the country’s primary seaports—Monrovia and Buchanan.
Spearheaded by the National Port Authority (NPA) under the leadership of Director General Sekou Hussein Dukuly, the initiative is aligned with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST agenda, which focuses on improving agriculture, road infrastructure, reconciliation, education, healthcare, and technology.
The modernization program is designed to transform Liberia’s ports into engines of economic development. It includes the overhaul of container terminals, the enhancement of cargo handling berths, the modernization of storage facilities, and the integration of digital logistics systems. In addition, it features the implementation of advanced security infrastructure and sustainable energy technologies. As part of the plan, dredging operations will be carried out to enable the ports to accommodate larger vessels, thereby increasing Liberia’s trade capacity along the West African coastline.
Efficiency and regional integration
The port upgrades are expected to significantly boost Liberia’s logistics performance by cutting down cargo clearance times, increasing throughput, and fully digitizing customs operations. These enhancements are aimed at fostering a more transparent and efficient trade environment that could drive increased commercial activity.
Importantly, the revamped port infrastructure will also enable Liberia to serve as a transit gateway for landlocked countries such as Mali and Guinea, reinforcing the country’s strategic position in regional trade networks.
This agreement builds on a previous memorandum of understanding signed in November 2024 between the NPA and Marsa Maroc, another Moroccan entity. That earlier partnership outlined two key projects: the establishment of a multipurpose terminal at Monrovia Port through a public-private partnership, and the revitalization of Buchanan Port, encompassing the design, financing, and management of its facilities.
High-level Liberian officials who witnessed the recent signing included Senator Momo T. Cyrus, chair of the National Security Commission; Representative Austin B. Taylor, chair of the Maritime Commission; and Representative Sekou Kanneh, chair of the Executive Commission.
Morocco’s growing maritime role in Africa
The deal reflects Morocco’s broader ambition to expand its maritime footprint across the African continent. In January, Marsa Maroc launched a new subsidiary, Marsa Maroc International Logistics, to oversee port investments in both East and West Africa. This subsidiary is already active in Djibouti, where it is backing the development of a new oil and gas terminal, and in Benin, where it operates terminals at the port of Cotonou.
Once the upgrades are complete, Liberia’s ports could not only support higher volumes of trade but also attract transshipment traffic from overburdened ports elsewhere in the region, potentially reshaping shipping patterns along the Atlantic coast.