By: Julius Konton
Liberia has made encouraging progress in the latest Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) 2026 scorecard, passing 12 of the 22 key indicators that assess governance, economic freedom, and investment in people.
Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan expressed optimism and national pride following the release of the report, describing the achievement as a clear sign that the country is “inching closer” to regaining compact eligibility under the U.S. Government’s MCC initiative.
“Congratulations to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the government and people of Liberia,” Minister Ngafuan said joyfully. “We are inching closer, our collective reform efforts are paying off.”
According to the MCC’s Fiscal Year 2026 Scorecard, Liberia recorded notable improvements in several categories under the “Ruling Justly,” “Economic Freedom,” and “Investing in People” pillars.
The data shows that Liberia performed well in the following areas:
Freedom of Information – 98%
Personal Freedom – 91%
Control of Corruption – 56%
Government Accountability – 73%
Property and Land Rights – 67%
Women in the Economy – 68%
Market Competitiveness – 60%
Health Expenditures – 57%
Inflation Control – 8.2 (ranked 38%)
These outcomes place Liberia among the countries demonstrating tangible progress toward good governance and economic reforms.
In the Indicators Breakdown, Liberia’s 2026 scorecard shows mixed performance across categories:
Ruling Justly: Liberia scored high on Personal Freedom (38.1), Government Accountability (20.3), and Control of Corruption (0.09) all surpassing median thresholds.
Economic Freedom: The nation achieved strong marks in Property and Land Rights (0.593), Market Competitiveness (0.535), and Women in the Economy (75.9).
Investing in People: Liberia showed moderate gains in Health Expenditures (1.29) and Chronic Disease Control (22.0), though challenges remain in Child Health (0.407) and Girls’ Primary Education Completion (59%).
The MCC scorecard, produced annually by the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation, evaluates low-income and lower-middle-income countries on their commitment to democratic governance, economic reforms, and investment in citizens.
Passing at least half of the indicators including mandatory passes in Control of Corruption and Democratic Rights is a key requirement for compact eligibility.
Liberia’s latest performance reflects steady improvement from previous years, signaling increased accountability, institutional reform, and fiscal discipline under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration, said the Finance Ministry boss.
Minister Ngafuan reaffirmed the government’s dedication to deepening reforms in transparency, private sector competitiveness, and human development.
“Our goal is not just to pass the scorecard,” he added. “It’s to build a Liberia that thrives on integrity, economic opportunity, and inclusive growth”, Minister Ngafuan reechoed.
The report which saw Liberia made a pass of 12 out of 22 indicators among other things, focused on Control of Corruption, Accountability, Personal and Economic Freedom, Inflation Management.
Liberia’s upward movement in the MCC 2026 report has been widely welcomed as an encouraging signal for potential renewed compact consideration.
It also highlights ongoing efforts by the Boakai administration to strengthen governance systems, improve fiscal management, and empower citizens.
“The progress we celebrate today is the fruit of hard work, consistency, and reform. Liberia is indeed inching closer.”
