The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) is seizing a rare and strategic opportunity to present Liberia’s energy potential to the international community through its participation in the Invest in African Energy Forum 2025.
The two-day event, held from May 13 to 14 in Paris, France, brought together key stakeholders from across the global energy industry to explore investment opportunities, drive new partnerships, and support Africa’s energy development goals.
Leading the Liberian delegation is Rixck W. Barsi-Giah, NOCAL’s Vice President for Technical Services. He is accompanied by Ellen Watchen Karnga, Senior Human Resource Assistant. Together, they are engaging with international investors, policymakers, and energy executives, positioning Liberia as an emerging player in the African oil and gas sector.
“This is Liberia’s moment to present itself as a serious and stable player in Africa’s energy space,” said Barsi-Giah. “We are here to promote investment, build new alliances, and demonstrate that NOCAL is ready to lead Liberia into a new era of energy development.”
The Invest in African Energy Forum, hosted by Energy Capital & Power (ECP), is one of the most prominent gatherings in the African energy calendar. It serves as a high-level platform for governments, national oil companies, international oil corporations, financiers, and service providers to align their strategies and form partnerships aimed at expanding Africa’s energy capacity and infrastructure.
This year’s forum is held under the theme “Resilience, Innovation, and Opportunity in Africa’s Energy Future.” It focuses on key issues such as energy transition, sustainable development, the need for infrastructure investment, and the urgency to find new financing solutions as traditional support for fossil fuel projects continues to decline.
For Liberia, the timing of this forum is particularly significant. The country’s offshore basin remains vastly underexplored but has shown considerable promise based on prior seismic data and exploration studies. NOCAL is now marketing these opportunities to investors as part of a broader national strategy to unlock the country’s hydrocarbon potential.
NOCAL’s presentations at the forum have highlighted several open offshore blocks that are available for licensing. The company has emphasized Liberia’s favorable geological environment, investor-friendly regulatory framework, and political stability—all essential factors in attracting foreign direct investment in the energy sector.
A key focus of NOCAL’s participation is the Shorebase Initiative, a strategic infrastructure development aimed at establishing a fully functional logistical hub along Liberia’s coast. The initiative is designed to support offshore exploration and production activities, reduce operational costs, and boost local content and employment.
In addition to promoting its exploration assets, NOCAL is engaging in panel discussions centered on sustainability, regional energy integration, and environmental responsibility. The company is advocating for balanced energy development that leverages Liberia’s oil potential while aligning with global climate goals and ensuring the protection of marine ecosystems.
NOCAL’s leadership also sees the forum as a learning and collaboration opportunity. By networking with peers from across the continent and the globe, the Liberian delegation is gaining valuable insights into best practices for regulatory management, infrastructure development, and energy financing.
The forum has also opened the door for Liberia to renew and deepen partnerships with other national oil companies and service providers, some of whom have expressed interest in exploring West Africa’s emerging basins. These conversations are expected to continue well beyond the forum, potentially leading to new exploration agreements and joint ventures.
Beyond the technical discussions, NOCAL is reinforcing the message that Liberia is open for business. The government’s commitment to transparency, reform, and private sector participation is central to NOCAL’s pitch to the global investment community.
As the forum concludes, the Liberian delegation returns home with renewed momentum and strategic leads that could shape the future of Liberia’s energy sector. NOCAL remains committed to translating this international exposure into concrete development outcomes that benefit the Liberian people.
With increased investor interest and a bold vision for the future, NOCAL is positioning itself—and Liberia—as a rising player in the African energy landscape, ready to compete, collaborate, and contribute to the continent’s long-term energy security and economic transformation.
