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Liberia is looking to Rwanda’s experience in gold processing, mineral verification and revenue monitoring for practical lessons to strengthen domestic revenue collection and ensure the country receives a fair share of its natural resource wealth.
Liberia’s Comptroller and Accountant General, Elwood T. Nettey, made the case during the second day of a Liberian study tour of Rwanda, following a visit to the Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali’s Economic Zone, where the delegation examined how organized systems for processing and verifying gold can support government oversight and public financial management.
The visit offered Liberian officials an opportunity to learn how information on gold purity, international market prices and transactions can help authorities determine mineral values, monitor sales and improve the collection of taxes and other applicable revenues.
Nettey said Liberia’s natural resource wealth, including gold, could contribute more to national development if supported by effective systems that promote transparency and ensure government receives the revenue it is entitled to.
“As part of our efforts to strengthen decentralization, we are learning from countries that have made progress in building strong institutions and effective systems. We chose Rwanda because of the lessons we believe we can learn from its experience,” Nettey said.
He explained that the refinery’s operations demonstrated the importance of having an organized facility where gold can be processed and its quality verified before entering international markets.
According to him, access to reliable information on gold purity, market prices and transactions can help government institutions strengthen oversight, identify discrepancies and ensure that the appropriate revenue is collected.
“The system gives the government a better opportunity to monitor prices in line with the international market and ensure that it receives its fair share to help develop the country,” he said.
Nettey emphasized that Liberia could adapt lessons from Rwanda to improve the documentation and monitoring of gold transactions, from processing to final sale. He said stronger coordination among government institutions, supported by technical expertise and appropriate reforms, could help increase domestic revenue and provide additional resources for public services.
“Our goal is to understand how these systems are organized and how revenue from the gold sector can be traced. With the right arrangements and technical support, we can strengthen our revenue and provide more services to our people,” he added.
Also speaking during the visit, Margaret P. Krote, Commissioner for Domestic Tax at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), stressed that reliable information, transparent reporting and proper verification are essential to determining the value of gold for tax purposes.
Krote said a specialized refinery could play an important role in verifying gold purity before the mineral is exported to international markets. She added that effective information-sharing between private operators and government agencies could improve tax administration and strengthen the assessment of revenue due to the state.
She also pointed to Rwanda’s efforts to translate national priorities into practical action as an important lesson for Liberia as it pursues institutional reforms and improved revenue mobilization.
The Gasabo Gold Refinery is a US$5 million private-sector project operating in Kigali. Its operations gave the Liberian delegation an opportunity to examine how specialized facilities can support mineral verification and provide more reliable information for revenue monitoring.
Beyond the gold sector, the delegation also visited the Rwanda Development Board’s (RDB) One Stop Center to learn how the country coordinates services for investors and simplifies procedures for businesses.
The center brings together services such as business registration, licensing, permits and other administrative processes, enabling investors to navigate government requirements more efficiently.
The visit highlighted how coordinated institutions and simplified procedures can support investment, encourage business activity and improve the delivery of government services.
The delegation later visited the Kigali City Council as part of its broader engagement with Rwanda’s governance and administrative systems.
The study tour forms part of Liberia’s efforts to identify practical approaches to strengthening decentralization, local governance, public financial management and service delivery.
For Liberia, the lessons from Rwanda extend beyond gold processing to the importance of reliable information, institutional cooperation and transparent administrative systems. Officials are examining how these approaches could be adapted to Liberia’s circumstances to improve revenue collection and ensure that natural resources contribute more effectively to national development.
As the study tour continues, the delegation is expected to draw further lessons from Rwanda’s experience that could inform Liberia’s reform efforts and strengthen the management of public resources.
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