20/11/2025
House of Representatives Kicks Off US$1.2 Billion National Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2026
The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Ways, Means & Finance and Public Accounts & Expenditure on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, formally commenced hearings on the Revenue Component of the Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, amounting to US$1.211 billion—the largest budget envelope in Liberia’s history.
The Revenue Hearings provide the platform for revenue-generating entities to present strategies for strengthening domestic resources, identifying new revenue streams, and preventing future budget shortfalls.
In his opening remarks, Hon. P. Mike Jurry, Chairman of the Committee on Ways, Means & Finance, described the launch of the hearings as both “a civic moment and constitutional duty,” underscoring the Legislature’s obligation to ensure transparency and fiscal prudence.
“This figure reflects ambition, but it must also reflect truth,” Hon. Jurry said. “Our task is to interrogate the revenue assumptions to ensure they are not only realistic, but just. These hearings are not ceremonial—they are a constitutional mechanism for fiscal oversight.”
Highlighting the unprecedented crossing of the US$1 billion benchmark, the Chairman said the expanded fiscal space signals “Liberia’s potential for real transformation and a transition toward middle-income status.”
The Committee outlined priority issues that will guide the FY2026 review, including:
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Ensuring transparent allocation, timely disbursement, and measurable development impact.
Domestic Revenue Expansion
Assessing whether projections by the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) are enforceable, equitable, and reflective of economic realities, and Debt Servicing and Borrowing
Examining payment schedules, penalties, and sustainability to prevent long-term fiscal instability.
The Committee announced plans to demand county-level revenue breakdowns, push for digital transparency tools for public tracking of budget flows, and insist on performance-linked disbursements. The Legislative Budget Office (LBO) was also urged to provide strong, independent analysis to support legislative oversight.
Hon. Jurry added that the US$1.2 billion budget should be a turning point toward major infrastructure development, including the long-envisioned paved road network from Cape Mount to Cape Palmas.
Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs Anthony Williams, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning (MFDP), praised the Legislature for its clear policy direction.
He emphasized the Executive’s diligence in ensuring all revenues due to the government are captured in the draft budget, noting that significant portions of the projection remain in the contingency category pending fulfillment of legal and procedural requirements.
“We want the Liberian people to get the facts and the truth,” he said. “This budget is historic not because of its size alone, but because it reflects discipline and the collective will to protect public interest.”
Providing updates on national revenue performance, Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah revealed that as of November 17, 2025, the LRA had collected US$715.3 million in domestic revenue for FY2025—surpassing FY2024’s historic US$698.6 million.
He reaffirmed confidence that the LRA will exceed the FY2025 domestic revenue target despite funding constraints.
However, he cited persistent underperformance by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as a major fiscal challenge:
“If SOEs met their obligations, we would be much closer to reaching the revenue target,” he said, calling for a national conversation on SOE compliance.
For FY2026, the LRA projects US$1.14 billion in domestic revenue and US$72 million in external resources. Commissioner Jallah reiterated that the target is achievable with adequate funding. He highlighted major reforms including:
Nationwide deployment of Starlink connectivity to eliminate manual tax processes, Expansion of Mobile Money and Orange Money payment platforms, Stronger taxpayer education initiatives and Intensified audits and enforcement to prevent under-declaration.
Menawhile the House Ways and Means Chairman Hon. Jurry concluded with a call for constructive engagement from civil society, academia, the media, and the public:
“Fiscal policy is not the domain of technocrats alone. Let us democratize the budget conversation. We owe it to our people to ensure every dollar is accounted for and every promise kept.” Jurry asserts.
The FY2026 National Budget Hearings will continue in the coming days with appearances from additional revenue-generating entities before its expenditure hearings.
