MONROVIA – Liberia has taken a major step toward faster, more efficient cargo clearance and a more competitive trading environment with the launch of its national Time Release Study (TRS) Report 2026 by the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the World Customs Organization (WCO), and key public and private sector stakeholders.
The report, the second time-release study conducted in Liberia and the first fully aligned with the World Customs Organization’s internationally recognized methodology, marks a significant milestone in the country’s customs modernization agenda. Unlike the first study, this assessment was conducted in accordance with the WCO’s global methodology, enabling Liberia to benchmark its cargo clearance performance against international standards while identifying practical opportunities to improve border efficiency and facilitate trade.
The Time Release Study is an internationally recognized WCO Trade Facilitation tool used by customs administrations worldwide to determine the actual time taken to clear goods from arrival to exit from a port. By measuring every stage of the clearance process, it helps identify operational bottlenecks and provides objective, evidence-based recommendations to improve customs performance in cross-border trade.
The study assessed 670 import declarations and examined the entire cargo clearance process at the Freeport of Monrovia from vessel arrival to the release of goods.
Speaking at the launch, Liberia Revenue Authority Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah described the report as much more than a technical assessment, emphasizing that it provides Liberia with a credible benchmark for measuring performance and driving continuous improvement.
“The Time Release Study report gives us an internationally recognized baseline for understanding where delays occur and where reforms must be targeted. This is not a report that will sit on a shelf; it is a roadmap for action that will strengthen transparency, efficiency, and predictability in Liberia’s trade environment,” Commissioner General Jallah said.
The study found that importers currently spend an average of 12 days, 19 hours, and 42 minutes clearing cargo at the Freeport of Monrovia. While customs inspections and exit gate procedures performed relatively efficiently, the study identified the principal causes of delay as manual processes, fragmented institutional coordination, and paper-based payment verification. The findings provide clear evidence for prioritizing reforms across customs and other border agencies to improve efficiency, predictability, and service delivery.
To address these challenges, Commissioner General Jallah highlighted ongoing reforms, including a modern Destination Inspection Facility, upgrades of the ASYCUDA World system, integrated electronic payment platforms, enhanced interoperability with the Liberia Integrated Tax Administration System (LITAS), and the implementation of a National Single Window. These initiatives form part of the LRA Corporate Strategic Plan (2025–2029) and support the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
The LRA Commissioner General thanked the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Liberia National Trade Facilitation Committee, development partners, and public and private sector stakeholders whose collaboration made the successful completion of the study possible.
Congratulating Liberia on the successful completion of the study, World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders said the initiative demonstrates Liberia’s commitment to building a more transparent, predictable, and efficient border management system through evidence-based decision-making.
He noted that the report equips Liberia with the objective data needed to implement targeted reforms, improve border performance, facilitate trade, strengthen national competitiveness, and support sustainable economic
development. He also commended the Liberia National Trade Facilitation Committee for its leadership throughout the process and encouraged the Government of Liberia and all stakeholders to give priority to implementing the report’s recommendations.
Representing the British Embassy in Monrovia, Joanna Markbreiter, Deputy Head of Mission and Development Counsellor, reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s continued support for Liberia’s customs modernization agenda through His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs under the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program.
She said the Time Release Study provides a strong foundation for targeted reforms that will reduce cargo clearance times, lower the cost of doing business, and improve Liberia’s overall trading environment. She further reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Liberia as it implements the report’s recommendations in partnership with government institutions and the private sector.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Deputy Minister for Commerce and Trade Wilmot A. Reeves described the report as a credible evidence base demonstrating the urgent need for reforms to strengthen border efficiency and improve trade.
He said the findings reinforce the importance of closer collaboration among government agencies and the private sector to build a more efficient, transparent, and competitive trading environment.
“Let us therefore regard today’s launch not as the conclusion of an important exercise, but as the beginning of a new chapter characterized by decisive action, innovation, accountability, and measurable results,” Deputy Minister Reeves said.
Performing the official launch, LRA Commissioner of Customs Saa Samoi called on business owners, shipping lines, customs brokers, and all stakeholders to work collectively toward reducing average cargo clearance times from nearly thirteen days to three days or less.
He noted that achieving this objective would bring Liberia closer to international best practice, reduce the cost of doing business, ease the burden on importers, improve supply chain efficiency, and strengthen the country’s attractiveness as a regional trading destination.
Conducted in line with the World Customs Organization’s methodology, the National Time Release Study fulfills Liberia’s obligations under the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement and reinforces the country’s commitment to evidence-based reforms that simplify border procedures, reduce trade costs, strengthen customs performance, and enhance regional competitiveness.
Faster cargo clearance is expected to lower the cost of importing goods, reduce delays in the movement of essential commodities, improve business competitiveness, encourage investment, strengthen supply chains, and ultimately benefit consumers through a more efficient and predictable trading environment.
The launch brought together senior government officials, representatives of development partners, members of the diplomatic community, officials of the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Customs Brokers Association of Liberia, APM Terminals Liberia, the business community, and other stakeholders committed to advancing customs modernization and trade facilitation.
The successful completion of the National Time Release Study marks the beginning of another phase of Liberia’s customs modernization, providing government, the private sector, and development partners with a shared, evidence-based framework for reducing trade barriers, improving border efficiency, and supporting sustainable economic growth and national competitiveness.
