Liberia: Govt to Increase Afl Budget Annually - Ngafuan

29 December 2025
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Naneka Hoffman

The Liberian Government has increased the Ministry of National Defense's budgetary allotment in the 2026 approved national budget to US$20.7 million, with US$18.3 million specifically allocated to the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).

Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Ngafuan, disclosed that more than US$12.7 million of the allocation will be used to cover salaries for military personnel.

Minister Ngafuan disclosed on Monday while delivering the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of 56 officer-candidates of the Armed Forces of Liberia at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) in Monrovia.

According to the finance minister, the AFL budget is expected to increase annually, with government funding to the military continuing to grow in line with national priorities.

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Speaking at the same event, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major General Davidson Forley, said the military's mandate includes restoring the AFL to its pre-war numerical strength.

Major General Forley revealed that the current strength of the AFL is approximately brigade-level, though he did not disclose the exact number of soldiers.

Prior to the Liberian civil conflict, the AFL had an estimated strength of about 5,000 personnel. A standard brigade typically consists of 3,000 to 5,000 troops, supported by modern mechanized equipment.

Meanwhile, the Minister of National Defense, Geraldine George, admonished the newly graduated officers, stressing that leadership in the Armed Forces is not a privilege but a burden of responsibility.

Minister George cautioned the officers to remain loyal to civilian authority and the Liberian Constitution, emphasizing professionalism, discipline, and respect for democratic governance.

She further assured that the Liberian Government, through the Ministry of National Defense, remains committed to improving the welfare of all men and women serving in the Armed Forces of Liberia.

The graduation program, held at the Grandstand of the Barclay Training Center, was attended by the top brass of the AFL, senior officials of the Ministry of National Defense, members of the National Legislature, and the graduates' families and relatives. - Edited by Othello B. Garblah.

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