Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has broken his silence on the large influx of Burkinabè nationals into Liberia. In recent years, the country has seen an estimated 100,000 or more Burkinabè arrive across several counties — primarily forest areas involved in cocoa production and mining.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected], and J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]
President Boakai expressed concern over the growing presence of undocumented Burkinabè nationals operating in Liberia’s mining sector, describing the issue as one of his administration’s most pressing challenges.
Speaking Thursday at the opening of the 20th Cabinet Meeting at the Tea House of the Executive Mansion, President Boakai said illegal mining activities involving foreign nationals have become a major concern.
“Today, it is alarming that we have over 80,000 Burkinabè in this country. Some have already established themselves and are mostly involved in agriculture and mining, He said. “We have to find out how we would deal with that alarming number of Burkinabè in the country. The number is huge, and we don’t want people coming from another country undocumented. It is a situation that we have to deal with.”
He noted that concerns surrounding Burkinabè nationals in Liberia are not new, recalling reports dating back more than a decade in Grand Gedeh County, and emphasized the need for urgent government intervention.
The President also disclosed that he recently viewed a video showing alleged interference by Burkinabè nationals during an investigation conducted by Liberian authorities.
“I watched a video where they were investigating Burkinabè who were even putting up roadblocks to stop Liberian investigators from doing their jobs,” he said.
The President’s remarks came after a group of miners — predominantly Burkinabè — in Gbarpolu County allegedly attacked officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy who had traveled there to conduct an inspection.
The inspection was part of a nationwide campaign by the Ministry to combat illegal mining. The exercise began in Gbarpolu County, one of Liberia’s gold-rich regions, where authorities say illegal mining involving Liberians, Chinese nationals, Burkinabè, and other foreign miners has become widespread.
An inspection team, supported by personnel from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and the Liberia National Police (LNP), traveled overnight to Henry’s Town in Korninga Chiefdom and raided the AB Conteh Mining Site, arresting several individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining.
Authorities confirmed that AB Conteh Mining Company holds a Class B mining license, an Environmental Protection Agency permit, and a mining license from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. However, inspectors found 20 Liberians and 41 Burkinabè nationals working at the site, and the company was unable to provide work permits for the Burkinabè workers.
Officials further disclosed that workers at the site obstructed the inspection on May 24, 2026, by erecting roadblocks to prevent arrests. AFL soldiers and LNP officers eventually brought the situation under control.
Minister Tingban Warns Against Violations
Addressing workers at the site the following morning, Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye Tingban said the government is determined to strengthen oversight of mining operations nationwide.
“My team and I are in the field to make sure that we establish full control over mining activities in this country,” Minister Tingban stated.
He stressed that the inspection was not intended to provoke confrontation, noting that holding a license does not exempt operators from complying with the law.
“We didn’t come to institute violence against anybody. AB Conteh Mining Company has a Class B license, an EPA permit, and a mining license from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. However, having the documents does not mean you can operate outside the law. You have those documents so that you remain within the law,” he said.
Tingban also raised concerns about license holders failing to account for minerals extracted from their sites.
“It is one of their obligations to ensure that the government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, knows how much mineral they recover from here — how they dispose of it and how they sell it. If we don’t know, and you take it out illegally, that is an economic crime,” he said.
The Minister condemned the attacks on inspectors and the erection of roadblocks during the operation.
“The team came here yesterday and asked for your documents, which you provided. What they then asked for was your recovery report. Since you have been digging with these massive excavators, what have you recovered?” he asked. “Is that what provoked you to attack the team and set up roadblocks? Is that how you operate? I understand that most of you here are Burkinabè. Is that how it is done in Burkina Faso?”
A Growing National Security Concern
The government’s latest inspection campaign underscores deepening concerns over illegal mining, undocumented migration, and regulatory compliance in Liberia’s extractive sector.
The influx of Burkinabè nationals has become an escalating national security issue. In the southeast and Nimba County, reports indicate that Liberian farmers have entered into lease agreements with Burkinabè nationals to cultivate cocoa — arrangements that have in some cases led to land disputes and displacement.
One prominent case involved Grand Gedeh County Superintendent Alex C. Grant, who was accused of unilaterally leasing 500 acres of ancestral community forest land to a Burkinabè businessman for cocoa farming. The 30-year, $600,000 deal — signed in October 2025 — was subsequently nullified by the county attorney and declared illegal for violating the 2018 Land Rights Act.
The agreement drew sharp backlash from local residents, diaspora groups, and district lawmakers over multiple concerns, including the absence of community consent, violations of the 2018 Land Rights Act, environmental and displacement risks, and financial irregularities.
Environmental advocates noted that the deal completely bypassed the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) principle. Local clans and the B’hai Jozon Management Council were never consulted prior to the signing. The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) confirmed that the leased territory is customary land, meaning governance and leasing rights rest with the local community — not county authorities.
In response to public outrage and formal petitions, County Attorney Wilkins Nah officially voided the G’hai District land lease agreement shortly after it became public. The LLA also confirmed that county officials had overstepped their authority. According to Articles 32, 36, and 39 of the Land Rights Act (2018), customary land is owned and managed by communities themselves — not by county superintendents, district commissioners, or any central government representatives.
The LLA’s intervention resulted in the cancellation of the agreement, the dismissal of four employees at its central office involved in the deal, and the indefinite suspension of local LLA staff in Grand Gedeh pending investigation. The matter has since been referred to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, though no court proceedings have been reported.
In Nimba County, particularly in Gbi-Doru Administrative District, reports indicate that Burkinabè nationals have signed lease agreements with local residents and are cultivating large cocoa farms in primary forests. There are concerns that farming activities could eventually encroach on the Gbi National Forest — a protected area rich in biodiversity and home to several of Liberia’s endemic plant and animal species.
The Burkinabè influx is unfolding against the backdrop of a separate and contentious border dispute with Guinea to the north, where the Guinean army is reported to still occupy Liberian territory — adding to mounting public pressure on the government.
Government Response
Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Friday, Presidential Press Secretary Kula Fofana said the Liberia Immigration Service, the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), and international partners are working to establish a system to properly document Burkinabè nationals residing in Liberia.
“Once they are here, we need to know their mission,” Fofana said.
She disclosed that the government estimates the Burkinabè population in Liberia at approximately 140,000.
“They are around 140,000. They are in Grand Gedeh, Rivercess, and other parts of the country, and it is alarming. The President is determined to get more boots on the ground to ensure that measures are put in place to properly document them — to determine whether they are economic migrants or something else,” Fofana said.
She noted that many Burkinabè nationals enter Liberia at the invitation of Liberians involved in mining.
“It will interest you to know that some of these Burkinabè are coming on the invitation of Liberians living in those counties who are also involved in mining activities. Their labor costs are cheaper, and they are known for their physical endurance,” she said.
Fofana added: “They are relatively young people who come with their families. It is a concern of the President and his team at the LRRRC. They are not living in the cities — they have built structures deep in the bush.”
