When President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. mounts the podium to deliver his third Annual Message to the 55th Legislature today, the moment will carry far more weight than constitutional routine. Two years into a six-year mandate, the Unity Party-led administration stands at a crossroads -- judged no longer by promises made on the campaign trail, but by outcomes delivered -- or deferred.
The symbolism of the setting itself is telling. For the second consecutive year, the State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be delivered in the courtyard of the Capitol Building, following the fire that damaged the Joint Chamber of Legislature-the traditional setting of the annual ceremony. It is an apt metaphor for a government attempting to govern amid constraints -- some inherited, others structural, and still others of its own making.
As Liberians listen to the President's address, they will inevitably measure his words against the record so far: progress achieved, challenges unresolved, and prospects ahead--especially as the administration enters what many believe is the most consequential phase of its tenure.
When President Boakai took office in January 2024, he inherited a country grappling with economic fragility, institutional fatigue, and a bruised international image. Expectations were cautiously optimistic. A veteran statesman with decades of public service, Boakai campaigned on restoring integrity, rebuilding trust in governance, and "rescuing" Liberia from systemic drift.
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That rescue mission was formalized with the launch of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) in early 2025 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. Designed to run from 2025 to 2029, the ARREST Agenda--supported by County Development Agendas--was framed as the administration's strategic compass to combat multidimensional poverty, improve livelihoods, and promote equitable growth.
Two years in, the question is no longer about intent. It is about execution.
Economically, the Boakai administration has recorded notable gains. The most striking headline achievement is fiscal: Liberia's first-ever national budget exceeding US$1 billion, estimated at about US$1.2 billion. Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung described its passage as "not just a financial milestone, but a statement of national intent."
Domestic revenue mobilization has been one of the administration's strongest cards. The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) increased collections from US$612 million in 2023 to approximately US$825 million in 2025, a historic high. Over two years, domestic revenue grew by US$213 million--a 35 percent increase--reflecting improved compliance, enforcement, and institutional reforms.
Yet macroeconomic pressures remain stubborn. Inflationary pressures, unemployment -- particularly among youth -- and high living costs continue to strain household resilience. The administration's task now is to convert revenue gains into visible improvements in living standards, a test that will define public perception heading into the later years of the mandate.
Infrastructure and Roads: Breaking Old Jinxes
Infrastructure has been one of the administration's most visible arenas of progress. The Ministry of Public Works reports 121.87 kilometers of paved roads between January 2024 and December 2025, alongside the maintenance of 783 kilometers of major road corridors nationwide.
Perhaps most symbolically significant is the progress in southeastern Liberia, long plagued by seasonal isolation. Road works from Tappita to Zwedru, Pleebo to Barclayville, and Buchanan to Greenville have "broken the southeastern jinx of no travel during the rainy season," easing transport costs and stabilizing commodity prices.
Major urban corridors--such as the ELWA Junction to RIA Road--have also seen substantial progress. Still, the scale of Liberia's infrastructure deficit means expectations continue to outpace delivery. Many flagship projects remain works in progress, with several slated for commencement in 2026, placing pressure on the administration's third year to move from groundwork to completion.
In the energy sector, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) recorded incremental improvements despite long-standing structural challenges. National electricity access rose from 33 percent to 35 percent, with more than 63,000 new customers connected through urban, peri-urban, and rural programs.
A new tariff framework approved by the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission reduced costs for residential and social customers, while safeguarding cost recovery. LEC officials say these reforms "laid a solid foundation for improved reliability, affordability, and long-term sustainability."
Similarly, the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) made tangible progress in tackling Monrovia's chronic sewage problem, reconnecting over 500 homes and relaying sewer lines across major streets. Water systems in Bopolu, Greenville, Pleebo, and Zwedru signal a renewed focus on basic services--often overlooked but politically consequential.
The Ministry of Education's record reflects what it calls a shift "from fragmented effort to system reform grounded in data, accountability, and inclusion." Over two years, 2,148 qualified volunteer teachers were placed on payroll, while 1,053 ghost names were removed -- an important governance win.
Infrastructure and learning support have followed: model schools in Bong, Margibi, and Nimba; renovation of 40 public schools; STEM kits for hands-on learning; and laboratory equipment for 50 secondary schools. The "Back to My Classroom" campaign targeting 250,000 out-of-school children underscores the administration's social focus.
The challenge now is sustainability -- ensuring that reforms outlast donor cycles and translate into improved learning outcomes nationwide.
Diplomatically, the Boakai administration has arguably recorded its most unambiguous successes. From repairing ties with the United States -- resulting in extended B1/B2 visa validity and a US$124 million health partnership -- to winning a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (2026-2027), Liberia's global profile has improved markedly.
The launch of Africa's first Female Feminist Foreign Policy and decentralization of passport services further signal a government keen on institutional modernization and symbolic leadership.
These gains matter not only for prestige, but for investor confidence, development financing, and diplomatic leverage -- all crucial for the ARREST Agenda's ambitions.
Governance remains the administration's most scrutinized front. President Boakai campaigned heavily on integrity and accountability, raising expectations for a tougher stance on corruption. While institutional reforms are underway, critics argue that high-profile prosecutions and systemic accountability have yet to fully match the rhetoric.
Vice President Koung, addressing the opening of the Legislature's third session, issued a pointed reminder, "The true measure of leadership is not in promises made, but in deliverables achieved."
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His call for "courage over comfort, unity over division, and patriotism over partisanship" reflects growing recognition within the government that polarization and slow execution could undermine reform momentum.
Why the Third Year Is Consequential
Politically, the third-year marks the last full window for decisive reform. By 2027-2028, succession politics and electoral maneuvering will dominate national discourse. That makes 2026-2027 the make-or-break period for translating policy blueprints into lived realities.
Legislative cooperation will be critical. The ARREST Agenda's success depends on budgets implemented, laws enforced, and oversight exercised credibly. A US$1 billion budget passed but poorly executed risks becoming a symbol of "squandered opportunities" -- to use Boakai's own words -- rather than progress.
Two years on, the Boakai administration's record defies simplistic verdicts. There is genuine progress -- especially in revenue mobilization, infrastructure rollout, utilities, education reform, and diplomacy. At the same time, persistent economic hardship, governance expectations, and execution gaps pose real risks.
As President Boakai delivers his third SONA, Liberians will be listening not just for achievements, but for clarity -- timelines, priorities, and accountability mechanisms. The third year is no longer about setting direction. It is about acceleration.
In that sense, today's address is indeed make-or-break -- not because the administration has failed, but because it has reached the point where intent must give way decisiveness, and progress must become unmistakable in the lives of ordinary Liberians.
