By Lewis S. Teh
MONROVIA, July 24, 2026 — The Government of Liberia has launched the formulation process for the Fiscal Year 2027 National Budget, with Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan directing public institutions to align their spending proposals with national development priorities.
Speaking at the launch in Monrovia, Ngafuan said the process had begun early to ensure that the draft budget reaches the Legislature by the October 31 constitutional deadline.
He said timely submission and passage have improved budget predictability, revenue collection and the implementation of government programs.
“In 2024 and 2025, we achieved something historic by having the Legislature pass the budget before the start of the budget year,” Ngafuan said.
According to him, 2024 marked the first time in post-war Liberia that the national budget was approved before the beginning of the fiscal year.
“To have one or two months in the year when you are not clear about the budget means everyone is stuck. As a result, execution is stuck,” he said.
Ngafuan reported significant growth in domestic revenue, saying the government collected nearly US$700 million in 2024 and more than US$840 million in 2025.
“In 2025, we broke the record we set in 2024,” he said, crediting the performance of the Liberia Revenue Authority and other revenue-generating institutions.
The minister said the growth in domestic revenue supported the government’s submission of a US$1.2 billion national budget for 2026. Despite initial doubts about the budget’s size, he said mid-year figures indicated that the government was on course to meet its targets.
Ngafuan thanked LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, the Ministry’s fiscal affairs and economic management teams, revenue-generating institutions and President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for their contributions to the government’s fiscal performance.
He identified allocation efficiency and operational efficiency as the two guiding principles for the FY2027 budget.
Ngafuan said allocation efficiency requires the government to direct resources toward priorities contained in the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, the administration’s national development plan.
“The National Development Plan—the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development—must be the point of departure,” he told heads of government institutions.
The ARREST Agenda outlines the government’s development priorities and its ambition to move Liberia toward lower-middle-income status by 2029.
On operational efficiency, Ngafuan said public institutions must ensure that every dollar allocated produces measurable results through responsible procurement and effective service delivery.
“We have to ensure that we are spending efficiently and effectively and delivering services at the least cost,” he said.
The minister also warned ministries, agencies and commissions against submitting requests for additional funding without identifying possible reductions within their existing allocations.
“We do not have free money sitting somewhere,” Ngafuan said. “The first place to look when an institution requests additional money is within its own budget.”
He urged heads of public institutions to participate actively in budget preparation and management and to plan expenditures for the entire fiscal year to avoid disruptions.
Ngafuan also called for stronger cooperation across the government, saying every public institution has a role in achieving the administration’s development objectives.
“We are all on this rescue boat. Every entity is important to our success, so we have to support each other,” he said.
He added that President Boakai was pleased with the government’s progress during its first two and a half years and encouraged public institutions to continue delivering services to the Liberian people.
The FY2027 budget formulation process is being conducted under the theme, “Strengthening Fiscal Discipline and Strategic Resource Allocation for Inclusive and Sustainable Development.”
Budget hearings are expected to begin in the coming months before the draft spending plan is submitted to the Legislature.
