The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has launched the country's second National Time Release Study (TRS), unveiling an ambitious package of customs modernization and trade facilitation reforms aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, lowering the cost of doing business, and strengthening Liberia's competitiveness as a regional trade and investment destination.
The report officially launched Monday, July 13, 2026, at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce in Monrovia, found that it takes an average of 12 days, 19 hours and 42 minutes for imported cargo to move from vessel arrival to final exit through the Freeport of Monrovia, Liberia's principal gateway for international trade.
Speaking at the launch, LRA Commissioner General and Chief Executive Officer James Dorbor Jallah described the study as more than a technical assessment, saying it reflects Liberia's determination to confront longstanding trade bottlenecks through evidence-based reforms.
"Today is more than a presentation of a document. It is a statement about who we are as a nation--a people unafraid to measure ourselves honestly, to confront our challenges squarely, and to solve our own problems with determination and with the support of our true friends," Jallah said.
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He noted that the Freeport of Monrovia handles more than 90 percent of Liberia's international trade, making efficient cargo movement critical to the country's economic growth.
"Every container that passes through its gates carries the goods that stock our markets, the imports that power our industries, and the revenues that fund our schools, our hospitals, and our roads. When cargo moves faster, Liberia moves faster. That is why this study matters to every Liberian, whether or not they have ever set foot on the port," he said.
The Commissioner General explained that the study examined 670 import declarations, surpassing its sampling target and making it Liberia's most comprehensive cargo clearance assessment to date.
Conducted using the World Customs Organization (WCO) Time Release Study methodology, the exercise analyzed every stage of cargo clearance--from vessel arrival to customs processing and final release--while involving customs authorities, shipping lines, APM Terminals, commercial banks, customs brokers, transporters, and other government agencies.
Jallah emphasized that the findings provide Liberia with its first internationally recognized benchmark for measuring trade efficiency.
"For the first time, Liberia possesses a comprehensive, internationally credible measure of how long it takes to clear a container through our principal port. We can no longer be told where we stand. We now know where we stand, and a nation that knows where it stands can chart with precision where it intends to go," he said.
According to the report, customs inspections conducted jointly with partner agencies require less than one hour on average, while exit gate processing takes only 34 minutes.
The major delays, Jallah explained, occur before and after customs inspections, particularly through late submission of cargo manifests, manual delivery order systems, fragmented institutional procedures, and payment confirmation processes that still rely heavily on paper documentation.
"The delays do not lie in the diligence of our officers at the point of examination. They lie in the spaces between institutions, in late manifests, in manual delivery orders, in payment confirmations that travel by wire," he said.
To address those bottlenecks, the LRA announced a series of reforms already underway.
Central among them is the construction of a modern Destination Inspection Facility at the Freeport of Monrovia, which will bring customs and all major border agencies under one roof.
Jallah said the facility will be equipped with non-intrusive inspection technology to enable joint inspections, reducing duplication and significantly shortening cargo processing time.
"Today an importer may wait as agencies operate in fragmented locations on fragmented schedules. Tomorrow they will be examined once, jointly and swiftly. This facility is being built here in Liberia to solve a Liberian problem identified by Liberian data," he said.
The LRA is also upgrading the ASYCUDA World customs management platform, with technical experts from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) currently working alongside Liberian specialists.
The upgraded system will electronically integrate customs operations with commercial banks, the Central Bank of Liberia, and the Liberia Integrated Tax Administration System (LITAS), allowing import duty payments to be confirmed instantly rather than through manual processes.
"When an importer pays duty at a bank, confirmation will reach customs electronically and in real time--not by paper receipt carried across town. When declarations move, payments move, and releases move, all within one connected digital ecosystem," Jallah said.
He added that the modernization program also includes nationwide ASYCUDA connectivity at all customs business offices and will eventually support Liberia's long-awaited National Electronic Single Window, enabling traders to process documentation electronically through a single digital platform.
The Commissioner General stressed that the reforms align with the LRA Corporate Strategic Plan (2025-2029) and President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
While reaffirming the LRA's commitment to reform, Jallah said improving trade facilitation requires collective action by all institutions involved in cargo clearance.
"The Liberia Revenue Authority cannot do this alone, and this study proves it. The clearance of a container is a relay race, and a relay is only as fast as every runner and every handover," he said.
He called on shipping lines to submit electronic cargo manifests before vessel arrival, urged terminal operators to fully digitize delivery orders, encouraged importers and customs brokers to submit declarations promptly, and appealed to government agencies to deepen coordinated border management.
Representing Commerce and Industry Minister Magdalene Dagoseh, Deputy Minister for Commerce and Trade Raymond Reeves described the study as a landmark achievement that will guide future trade reforms.
"Today's launch is about far more than a report. It is about our collective commitment to transforming the way we do business in Liberia and the way we trade in Liberia," Reeves said.
He said the study provides credible evidence on delays affecting trade while identifying reforms needed to reduce the cost of doing business and improve Liberia's investment climate.
As Chair of the National Trade Facilitation Committee, the Ministry of Commerce, he said, remains committed to implementing the report's recommendations.
"Trade facilitation is no longer optional. It is a strategic imperative if Liberia is to become a competitive destination for trade, investment, industrialization, and job creation," Reeves stated.
He disclosed that government is implementing several complementary reforms, including the establishment of a Trade Information Portal, automation of import and export permit systems, online business registration, and the National Electronic Single Window.
According to him, the reforms will reduce administrative burdens, shorten cargo clearance time, improve transparency, strengthen Liberia's obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, and the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Technical Affairs Atty. William L. Buku, giving the welcome remarks on behalf of Assistant Commissioner for Customs-Port Operations Edwin F. Kendema, said the study began in September 2025 following the establishment of a multi-sector Technical Working Group involving government agencies, customs brokers, shipping companies, transporters, terminal operators, and other stakeholders.
He explained that more than 90 days were devoted to data collection, validation, analysis, and report preparation with technical support from the World Customs Organization.
According to Buku, the objective was to identify bottlenecks in cargo movement and recommend policy and operational reforms capable of improving border efficiency without compromising customs controls.
Presenting the study's technical findings and officially launching the TRS, National Trade Facilitation Committee Secretariat Coordinator Leamon P. Gluaseay said the report should serve as a national blueprint for reform rather than simply another technical publication.
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She reported that although the current study used a broader methodology than Liberia's first Time Release Study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, average cargo clearance time has declined from 12 days, 22 hours and 8 minutes to 12 days, 19 hours and 42 minutes--a reduction of 2 hours and 26 minutes.
She emphasized that the study identified several priority reforms, including mandatory electronic submission of cargo manifests before vessel arrival, penalties for late manifest submissions, electronic terminal delivery orders, improved data sharing among institutions, fully digitized trade documents, electronic payment systems, stronger integration of banking and customs information systems, and accelerated implementation of Liberia's National Single Window.
"The true value of this report will not be measured by the quality of its analysis, but by the effectiveness of its implementation. Reports do not transform economies. Implementation does," Gluaseay said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Customs Saamoi described customs administration as a delicate balance between facilitating trade and protecting national security.
He said while customs authorities must ensure efficient movement of legitimate trade, they also have a responsibility to prevent illicit goods from entering the country.
"Balancing trade facilitation and border security in the interest of national good is the critical work that customs has to perform," he said.
The launch concluded with the official unveiling of the National Time Release Study report, with government officials, development partners, and private sector representatives pledging to work together to implement its recommendations.
Officials expressed confidence that the reforms outlined in the report will reduce cargo delays, improve transparency, lower business costs, attract investment, and strengthen Liberia's position as a more competitive trading hub within the West African region.
