By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has announced a historic milestone in Liberia’s fiscal performance, reporting total domestic revenue collections of approximately US$818 million as of December 29, 2025.
The amount exceeds the national revenue target of US$804.6 million by US$13.4 million, marking the highest level of domestic revenue collection ever recorded in the country’s history.
The announcement was made on Monday during a press briefing in Monrovia by the Commissioner General of the LRA, James Dorbor Jallah, who disclosed that the surplus is expected to rise to at least US$20 million by the end of the 2025 calendar year, following final revenue consolidation in March 2026, as required by law.
Commissioner General Jallah described the achievement as a major step forward in strengthening Liberia’s domestic resource mobilization efforts and public finance management framework.
According to him, the 2025 revenue outturn represents a significant improvement over the US$699 million collected in 2024—an increase of more than US$119 million.
It also marks the second consecutive year the Authority has exceeded its annual revenue target.
He noted that the strong performance reflects growing institutional discipline, professionalism, and the effectiveness of sustained reforms within the Authority.
“This outcome is not merely a statistical achievement,” Jallah emphasized, “but a reflection of improved systems, enhanced compliance efforts, and growing public trust in revenue administration.”
Since its establishment, the LRA has pursued reforms aimed at strengthening tax compliance, modernizing revenue administration, and improving transparency and accountability.
These reforms have intensified in recent years, with a focus on institutional integrity, operational efficiency, and system-wide improvements across the revenue value chain.
Commissioner General Jallah acknowledged that the 2025 achievement was realized amid financial, logistical, and human resource constraints, commending the dedication and resilience of the LRA workforce.
He expressed appreciation to LRA staff for their commitment and long hours of service, as well as to partner institutions across government, including customs officers, port authorities, line ministries, agencies, and commissions, whose collaboration continues to support effective revenue generation and enforcement.
He stressed that domestic revenue mobilization remains a shared national responsibility.Looking ahead, the Government of Liberia has set a domestic revenue target of US$1.176 billion for fiscal year 2026.
While recognizing prevailing global and domestic economic challenges, Commissioner General Jallah reaffirmed the LRA’s commitment to professionalism, evidence-based operations, and results-driven performance.
To support the 2026 revenue objective, the Authority plans to deepen reforms through expanded digital transformation, increased automation, data-driven compliance management, and continued modernization of taxpayer services.
Preparations are also underway for the introduction and effective administration of Value Added Tax (VAT), alongside enhanced nationwide taxpayer education and awareness initiatives.
The Commissioner General called on the Government to sustain its support for the Authority and expressed gratitude to compliant taxpayers whose contributions continue to underpin national development.
He reaffirmed the LRA’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and sensitivity in tax administration, particularly in light of prevailing economic pressures, and encouraged participants in the informal sector to join the tax system.
Broadening the tax base, he noted, is critical to reducing pressure on compliant taxpayers and ensuring sustainable development.
As Liberia pursues ambitious fiscal goals, Commissioner General Jallah emphasized the importance of continued partnership among public institutions, the private sector, development partners, and citizens in advancing national development through effective domestic revenue mobilization.
