MONROVIA – The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, formally submitted a US$45 million Draft Supplementary Budget to the Liberian Senate through President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence for legislative enactment.
The submission is in line with Section 23.1 of the Amendment and Restatement of the Public Financial Management Law of 2009, which provides legal authority for mid-year fiscal adjustments to address emerging national priorities and revenue performance changes.
The FY2026 supplementary budget was presented to Pro Tempore Karnga-Lawrence by Acting Finance Minister Anthony G. Myers, who represented Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, currently leading a government delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.
Minister Myers disclosed that the additional financing is sourced from US$40 million in delayed World Bank budget support for FY2025 and US$5 million in domestic revenue overperformance recorded during the same fiscal period.
He explained that the domestic revenue growth was driven by strengthened tax policy enforcement and improved administrative efficiency, which helped cushion the impact of delayed external disbursements and ensured fiscal stability.
According to Myers, the supplementary budget reflects government priorities aimed at improving public services and strengthening human capital development. He noted that more than 40 percent of the allocation, approximately US$19.3 million, is directed toward the health, education, and social development sectors.
In the education sector, US$7.3 million has been allocated to support teacher enrollment, expand the national school feeding program, and settle outstanding obligations to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The health sector receives US$10.9 million, which includes funding for drug response initiatives and land acquisition for the proposed National Children’s Hospital. An additional US$1.05 million is earmarked for social development services to support vulnerable populations and strengthen community welfare programs.
For infrastructure and basic services, the government has allocated US$7.2 million, representing 15.9 percent of the total package. This includes US$4.02 million designated for technical preparation and deployment of the “yellow machines” initiative aimed at improving road maintenance and public works delivery.
The remaining US$18.5 million is distributed across other priority sectors, including US$5.1 million allocated to security and rule of law interventions to address emerging national security challenges and strengthen institutional response capacity.
In response, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence commended the MFDP for what she described as a forward-looking approach to public finance management, particularly the emphasis on social sector investment.
She further noted that the Senate was recalled to address two key national priorities: approval of the printing of new banknotes and consideration of the supplementary budget. She emphasized that although four days have already elapsed in the 10-day extraordinary sitting, lawmakers are committed to working diligently to achieve timely legislative outcomes in the national interest.
If approved, the supplementary budget is expected to support ongoing government programs while expanding investment in key social and infrastructure sectors under Liberia’s 2026 fiscal framework.
