Report: Liberia’s FY-2026 National Budget, Priorities vs. National Needs. A Critical Analysis of Spending Under the ARREST Agenda

By George Sahr Tengbeh

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 #𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲.

Let me firstly say, I am not a financial expert, but I tried to used my understanding of labour economics and basic public administration to critique the $1.2billion #FY2025/2026 budget of the government of Liberia in 10 phases. I will leave the analysis to the financial/economics experts to argue and explain for the common people to understand. My idea is to present the facts as detailed in the #FY2026 budget so the financial/budgetary experts can help us understand fiscal spending.

𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲

Prioritizing National Needs within Liberia’s FY-2026 Budget under the #ARREST Agenda

The Government of the Liberia introduced the FY-2026 National Budget of approximately US$1.2 billion as a fiscal framework intended to advance the national development strategy known as the #ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development. This policy agenda identifies six core pillars intended to drive economic recovery, national stability, and inclusive growth: #Agriculture, #Roads, #Rule of Law, #Education, #Sanitation, and #Tourism. These sectors represent the backbone of Liberia’s long-term development and the foundation for improving the welfare of ordinary citizens.

Despite these stated priorities, an examination of the FY-2026 national budget reveals a significant imbalance between policy commitments and actual spending priorities. While the #ARREST Agenda emphasizes productive sectors and public service delivery, the structure of the budget continues to allocate a substantial share of national resources to recurrent expenditures, including salaries, administrative operations, travel, and political offices. Estimates indicate that over 75 percent of the national budget is absorbed by recurrent spending, leaving a much smaller portion for development investments that directly benefit the Liberian people.

Under the Agriculture pillar, which is intended to transform food production, support rural livelihoods, and reduce dependency on food imports, funding remains disproportionately low compared to the size of the sector. Agriculture employs a majority of Liberians and remains central to rural economic stability. Yet the Ministry of Agriculture receives a fraction of the resources allocated to administrative and political institutions. This imbalance weakens Liberia’s capacity to address food insecurity, expand agribusiness opportunities, and stimulate rural economic growth.

The Roads pillar, designed to improve connectivity, trade, and national integration, remains essential for a country where poor infrastructure continues to isolate communities and limit economic development. While some major road and infrastructure projects are included in the #PSI-Public Sector Investment Plan, the overall level of development spending remains constrained by the dominance of recurrent expenditures in the national budget.

The Rule of Law pillar emphasizes strengthening national security institutions and ensuring the protection of Liberia’s territorial integrity. However, 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. These institutions are responsible for maintaining internal security, protecting national borders, and responding to external threats. The lack of critical equipment and logistical capacity, such as aviation assets for rapid response, illustrates the consequences of insufficient investment in national defense and security infrastructure.

The Education pillar seeks to build human capital through investments in schools, universities, and vocational training programs. While institutions like the University of Liberia receive budgetary allocations, the education sector continues to struggle with inadequate infrastructure, limited teaching resources, and an underfunded public school system. Without stronger investment in education, Liberia risks undermining its long-term economic competitiveness and workforce development.

The Sanitation pillar addresses public health challenges related to water supply, waste management, and environmental hygiene. These services are essential for preventing disease outbreaks and improving living conditions in urban and rural communities. However, sanitation programs remain relatively underfunded compared to the scale of the challenges facing rapidly growing urban areas such as Monrovia.

Finally, the Tourism pillar seeks to promote Liberia’s natural and cultural assets as drivers of economic diversification and employment. While the country possesses significant tourism potential, sustained investment in infrastructure, security, and marketing is required to transform tourism into a viable economic sector.

The FY-2026 National Budget presents an opportunity to align national spending with the transformative goals of the 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 Agenda. However, the current allocation structure demonstrates a persistent gap between policy priorities and fiscal realities. For the 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 Agenda to succeed, Liberia must redirect greater resources toward the pillars that directly impact economic productivity, national security, and social welfare. Prioritizing agriculture, infrastructure, education, sanitation, and rule of law will not only strengthen national development but also restore public confidence that government spending is focused on the real needs of the Liberian people.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The FY-2026 National Budget of Liberia, valued at approximately US$1.2 billion, was presented as a financial plan aligned with the government’s 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 Agenda for Inclusive Development, focusing on #Agriculture, #Roads, #Rule of Law, #Education, #Sanitation, and #Tourism. The government claims the budget prioritizes development and national stability, with US$281.5 million allocated to the Public Sector Investment Plan (PSIP) for infrastructure and development projects. However, a detailed examination of the budget reveals a significant imbalance between political spending and essential public services, raising concerns about the government’s ability to meet its constitutional obligation to protect citizens and deliver basic services.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐈: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐘-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭

The structure of the budget demonstrates where national priorities lie.

Budget Category Amount

Total Budget: $1.2 Billion

Recurrent Spending (salaries, travel, operations): $929.6 Million

Public Sector Investment Plan (development projects): $281.5 Million

This means over 75% of the national budget is consumed by recurrent expenditure, including salaries, administrative costs, travel, and operational expenses, leaving less than one-quarter for actual development and service delivery. This structure contradicts the ARREST Agenda’s development objectives.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐯𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Legislature Spending

The National Legislature receives one of the largest allocations among government institutions.

Political Office Budget

Legislature Total: $51.7 million

House of Representatives: $31.0 million

Senate: $16.4 million

Speaker Office : $1.85 million

Deputy Speaker: $1.41 million

Pro-Tempore: $0.96 million

The Legislature’s budget increased from $41.3 million in 2024 to $51.7 million in 2026. Within this allocation, $14.6 million is spent on goods, services, travel, and administrative expenses, including foreign trips and vehicle maintenance.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐕: 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐘-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭

Ministry of National Defense: $20.7 million

Liberia National Police: $25.7 million

National Security Agency: $22.2 million

Liberia Immigration Service: $10.7 million

Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency: $7.6 million

National Fire Service: $2.9 million

These institutions are responsible for protecting the country, enforcing the law, securing borders, and responding to emergencies. Yet collectively, their funding is still lower than the recurrent spending across political offices.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐕: 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬

The budget allocation to the Ministry of National Defense ($20.7 million) reflects the severe limitations facing Liberia’s military capacity. The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) currently have approximately 2,010 active personnel, organized mainly under the 23rd Infantry Brigade. However, Liberia’s military capability remains extremely limited. The Liberian Air Wing has been non-operational since the civil wars, and the country currently has no functioning military aircraft or helicopters. This means Liberia cannot conduct rapid air surveillance, border patrol, medical evacuation, or emergency troop deployment.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐈: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐟𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞

Recent tensions along the Liberia-Guinea border in Lofa County highlight the consequences of underfunding security capacity. In March 2026, residents reported that armed Guinean soldiers crossed into Liberian territory near the Sorlumba border crossing, confronting road construction workers and claiming parts of the area as Guinean territory. Local authorities raised alarm as the incident escalated into a territorial dispute with foreign armed personnel operating inside Liberia. Without air mobility or rapid response capability, the Liberian military relies heavily on ground transport over poor road networks, making timely response extremely difficult.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐈𝐈: 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

Agriculture employs the majority of Liberians, yet receives far less funding.

Sector Budget

Legislature: $51.7 million

Ministry of Agriculture: approx $13.7 million

This means lawmakers receive nearly four times the funding allocated to agriculture, despite agriculture being the backbone of Liberia’s economy.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

Development Sector Budget

Liberia Electricity Corporation: $50 million

St. Paul Bridge & Bo Waterside Road Project: $50 million

Water and sanitation infrastructure: $3.2 million

These projects fall under the Public Sector Investment Plan (PSIP). However, development spending remains overshadowed by recurrent expenditures.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐗: 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

The budget also allocates $34.42 million to governance and anti-corruption institutions, including $4.4 million to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC). Yet critics argue that corruption and wasteful spending persist within the political class.

𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐗: 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭

Excessive Recurrent Spending: More than three-quarters of the national budget is consumed by salaries and administrative costs.

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Political offices enjoy substantial funding increases while essential services remain underfunded.

𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: Liberia lacks basic air mobility and modern military equipment.

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Agriculture, emergency services, and rural infrastructure remain severely underfunded.

𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬: Revenue projections may fall short by $120-135 million, raising concerns about the feasibility of the $1.2 billion budget.

𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The FY-2026 National Budget reveals a structural contradiction between the government’s ARREST Agenda and actual spending priorities. While the agenda promises development, poverty reduction, and national security, the budget continues to prioritize political expenditures, administrative costs, travel and perks, and legislative privileges. Meanwhile, the country struggles with weak border security, inadequate military capability, poor emergency response systems, and underfunded economic sectors. The recent border tensions in Lofa County demonstrate how these structural weaknesses translate into real national security risks. A country that cannot rapidly deploy forces to defend its territory because it lacks basic air mobility is confronting a fundamental governance problem.