• EITI says artisanal mining remains absent from Liberia’s official mining statistics
• Industrial mining generated $121.49 million in revenue in 2023
• Informal mining employs over 100,000 people and produces large undeclared output

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has called on Liberia to carry out additional studies to better document the contribution of informal mining to the national economy. The recommendation is contained in the organization’s latest report, published in December 2025, as statistics on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) remain absent from the annual data compilation conducted under the EITI framework.

According to the report, Liberia’s mining sector generated $121.49 million in revenue in 2023, but these proceeds came exclusively from industrial mining activities, notably iron ore, gold, and diamonds. Artisanal mining nonetheless represents a significant segment of the economy, providing more than 100,000 direct jobs and 1.6 million indirect jobs, according to a study conducted in 2011. Data compiled by NGO SWISSAID in a report published in May 2025 show that declared artisanal production in Liberia amounted to 336 kg in fiscal year 2020–2021, while undeclared output is estimated at between 4 and 10 tons of gold.

For the EITI, a clearer assessment of the contribution of informal activity would help Liberia improve oversight of its mining sector. “EITI Requirement 6.3.a requires implementing countries to disclose information about the contribution of informal sector activities, including but not necessarily limited to Artisanal and Small‐Scale Mining (ASM),” the report states.

Beyond the challenge of compiling ASM data, Liberia faces difficulties similar to those encountered by other African mining countries. Between the formalization of artisanal miners, the fight against gold and diamond smuggling, and the protection of human rights, significant hurdles remain before revenues generated by the sector can be better channeled into public finances.

Emiliano Tossou