Monrovia — Acknowledging delays in Liberia's development drive, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has called for accelerated action across government, urging institutions to "double up" efforts to meet the administration's real-time development agenda.
Minister Ngafuan said Liberia must move beyond incremental progress and adopt what he described as "strategic acceleration," shifting from a slow run to a sprint in order to overcome persistent development bottlenecks.
He made the remarks on Thursday, February 5, 2026, during the official launch of two major reform initiatives in Monrovia: the Institutional Support for Enhanced Domestic Revenue Mobilization and Reform Implementation Project (ISEDRMP), an estimated US$18.3 million financing package, and the Debt Ownership Transparency Technical Assistance Project (DOT-TAP), valued at US$1.3 million.
The projects aim to strengthen Liberia's revenue collection systems, improve governance reforms, and enhance transparency in public debt and beneficial ownership.
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According to Minister Ngafuan, the initiatives will support 14 key institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Liberia National Police (LNP), Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Judiciary, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Ministry of State, and the Liberia Immigration Service, among others.
He said a major focus of the reforms is the modernization of the Judiciary and the Presidential Delivery Unit, aimed at building institutional credibility, attracting investment, and strengthening oversight of public projects.
The Finance Minister also disclosed that the government is pursuing aggressive debt management, prioritizing the repayment of both domestic and external obligations to restore confidence, unlock private-sector financing, and maintain international trust.
"Our goal is disciplined, rapid execution," Ngafuan told the gathering. "By strengthening institutions and managing our US$2.8 billion debt, we can boost investor confidence and empower the private sector to drive national development."
He stressed that the multi-sectoral push--covering infrastructure, healthcare, and finance--is designed to transform the economy and meet the basic aspirations of Liberians through faster and more accountable implementation.
Also speaking at the launch, African Development Bank (AfDB) Officer-in-Charge Country Manager, Mr. Yussuf Bob Foday, said the projects reflect the Bank's continued commitment to supporting Liberia's fiscal stability, effective governance, and inclusive economic growth.
Foday commended the Government of Liberia for sustaining dialogue with stakeholders and demonstrating leadership in advancing critical reforms.
He explained that the two projects will support reforms including the digitization of tax collection systems, updates to mining sector policies to reduce revenue leakages, modernization of judicial processes for prosecuting financial crimes, strengthening anti-corruption institutions, improved debt management capacity, and the expansion of digital beneficial ownership registration systems.
According to the AfDB official, these interventions are expected to curb illicit financial flows, improve tax compliance, and enhance the capacity of law enforcement and oversight institutions to enforce financial and tax laws.
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The projects align with Liberia's ARREST Agenda, contributing to improved fiscal capacity, transparency, public service delivery, job creation, and increased public trust in state institutions.
Foday disclosed that as of November 2025, Liberia's active AfDB portfolio comprised 15 projects--10 national and five regional--valued at US$314.77 million, with the transport sector accounting for 55 percent, energy 17 percent, agriculture 11 percent, and governance and social finance projects 17 percent.
He emphasized that Liberia's development future hinges on broadening the revenue base, strengthening tax administration, improving extractive sector governance, and ensuring transparency and accountability, reaffirming the AfDB's commitment to supporting the country's sustainable growth agenda.
