Liberia is closing in on a major domestic revenue milestone, with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) reporting that it has collected US$954.7 million in revenue for Fiscal Year 2026, putting the government on course to surpass the US$1 billion mark before the end of September.
LRA Commissioner-General James Dorbor Jallah disclosed the latest collection figure Wednesday during a Revenue Performance and Revenue Measures and Policies Review Meeting in Monrovia, describing the progress as a product of continued collaboration between the revenue authority, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and other government institutions.
“As of this morning, we can report that we have raised US$954.7 million in revenue, thanks to the collaboration we continue with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and other entities,” Jallah said.
The latest figure places the government just US$45.3 million short of the US$1 billion milestone.
With September now underway, the LRA says the pace of collection puts the government in a strong position to cross the landmark figure before the end of the month.
The authority is also targeting US$1.3 billion in domestic revenue for the full 2026 fiscal year.
If achieved, the US$1.3 billion target would represent a significant expansion in the government’s capacity to finance national programs from domestic resources.
The development is particularly important for Liberia, where limited domestic fiscal space and reliance on external assistance have historically constrained the government’s ability to finance development priorities.
The latest revenue performance therefore provides the Boakai administration with increased fiscal room as it seeks to implement its national development agenda.
Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, speaking during the meeting, emphasized the importance of sustained cooperation between the Ministry and the LRA.
He said strong revenue performance remains critical to financing the government’s development priorities and reducing dependence on external resources.
Ngafuan described the progress recorded so far as a reason for optimism but cautioned revenue authorities and other government revenue-generating entities against becoming complacent.
He called for continued efforts to improve compliance, strengthen revenue administration and maintain engagement with taxpayers.
“We have to keep the focus because the more we do, the more we are challenged to do because the expectations of our people are high,” Ngafuan said.
The Minister pointed to the government’s first-year implementation report under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, saying progress has been recorded in key sectors including roads, health, education and agriculture.
“We have done much, but there is much more we must do and will do,” he added.
The government is also pursuing reforms intended to improve the efficiency and transparency of tax collection.
Among the measures being implemented are electronic fiscal devices, which authorities say are designed to reduce tax leakages, improve compliance, simplify filing procedures and strengthen revenue monitoring.
The introduction of technology into the revenue system is expected to give the government greater visibility into economic transactions and improve the ability of the tax authority to identify and address compliance gaps.
For taxpayers, the government says the reforms should also make the tax process more efficient and easier to navigate.
The emphasis on domestic resource mobilization comes as the administration seeks to create a more sustainable fiscal foundation for national development.
Rather than depending heavily on external assistance to finance public programs, stronger domestic revenue collection gives government greater control over its development priorities.
However, the increasing revenue figures also raise expectations.
As collections approach the US$1 billion threshold, Liberians will increasingly look to government to demonstrate how additional domestic resources are being translated into tangible improvements in public services and infrastructure.
Higher revenue creates greater opportunity, but it also increases the importance of fiscal discipline, transparency and effective public spending.
Commissioner-General Jallah said the continued collaboration among revenue-generating institutions remains central to maintaining the momentum.
Minister Ngafuan similarly urged technical teams within the two institutions to remain focused on generating additional domestic resources in the national interest.
The LRA’s US$954.7 million collection means the government has already covered approximately 73.4 percent of its US$1.3 billion full-year target.
