Liberia proposes record $1.538 billion budget
The proposed 2027 budget is the largest in the country's history, while extreme poverty also increased.
Liberia's government has proposed a US$1.538 billion budget for 2027, the largest in the nation's history, presented to lawmakers on Friday. This comes as the Liberia Revenue Authority reported crossing US$1 billion in domestic collections for the first time in September.
Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan pointed to 5.1 percent economic growth last year and controlled inflation, stating Liberia is improving though not yet where it aims to be. However, the World Bank's November 3 Liberia Economic Update found that extreme poverty grew alongside the economy.
Opposition leader Alexander Cummings has criticized the government's focus on future benefits over immediate needs, while the Citizens Movement for Change questioned the Finance Ministry's credibility due to audit gaps and unreconciled records with the LRA and Central Bank.
Why it mattersLiberians face a paradox where the national budget and revenue collections reach record highs, yet extreme poverty has also increased.