Monrovia — Liberia’s growing revenue capacity should be viewed as a national achievement rather than a political possession, Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization, Moncio Robert Wilmot Kpadeh, has argued, calling on Liberians across political lines to celebrate improvements in the country’s fiscal position.
In a message titled “When Liberia Rises, We All Rise,” Kpadeh said the country’s progress in revenue generation represents an opportunity for Liberia to strengthen its ability to finance national priorities and reduce dependence on external support.
His comments come amid the government’s reporting of stronger domestic revenue performance and the implementation of Liberia’s record US$1.2 billion FY2026 national budget.
Kpadeh recalled a period when Liberia regularly faced budget shortfalls and struggled to meet expenditures for national priority programs, forcing the country to rely heavily on donor governments and multilateral institutions to help address fiscal gaps.
He contrasted that period with what he described as the country’s current revenue position, saying Liberia is now recording approximately US$1.2 billion in revenue generation.
The figure, however, should be distinguished from Liberia’s reported FY2025 revenue performance and the FY2026 budget envelope. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai reported that total revenue for FY2025 reached US$885.8 million, while domestic revenue amounted to US$847.7 million. The FY2026 national budget subsequently surpassed US$1.2 billion.
The distinction is important because revenue collected, projected revenue and the total national budget are not identical measures.
But Kpadeh’s central argument goes beyond the accounting terminology.
He said Liberia’s economic progress should not be viewed through the narrow lens of political affiliation, arguing that roads, electricity, water, schools, hospitals and economic opportunities ultimately serve citizens regardless of which political party they support.
“Liberia belongs to all of us,” Kpadeh wrote, stressing that political parties may differ while national citizenship remains shared.
The diplomat also challenged the idea that Liberians should be unhappy about increased government revenue because they believe stronger public finances could increase the political standing of the administration in power.
For Kpadeh, that approach places partisan competition above national interest.
He argued that government changes while Liberia remains, making the country’s long-term fiscal capacity more important than the political fortunes of any particular administration.
His position reflects a broader debate over Liberia’s ability to finance its own development.
President Boakai’s 2026 Annual Message reported that domestic revenue had increased by US$235.7 million over two years, which he attributed to policy reforms, improved administration, digitalization and better compliance. The President also reported that FY2025 domestic revenue exceeded its target by US$43.1 million.
The International Monetary Fund has also documented Liberia’s move toward a larger fiscal envelope, noting that lawmakers approved a record US$1.2 billion national budget in December 2025, supported by domestic revenue mobilization and other financing arrangements.
The increased fiscal capacity creates possibilities for government to finance development priorities, but it also increases the responsibility attached to public money.
Kpadeh acknowledged that responsibility in his message, stressing that additional revenue can only translate into national progress if it is managed transparently, responsibly and for the public good.
That qualification places the revenue discussion beyond the question of how much money government collects.
It raises the more consequential question of what happens to the money after it is collected.
Revenue increases can create greater room for public investment, but citizens also have an interest in knowing how resources are allocated, what projects receive funding and whether spending produces measurable improvements.
The government’s own fiscal reporting points to roads and other capital expenditures as major areas of public investment. President Boakai reported that government spending reached US$709.7 million by the end of November 2025, including recurrent and capital expenditure, with roads accounting for a major share of capital spending.
Kpadeh’s message therefore places the revenue milestone within a national rather than partisan framework.
He is calling on Liberians to see improved fiscal capacity as belonging to the Republic itself.
Political parties will continue to compete. Governments will change. Elections will produce winners and losers. But public revenue remains a national resource.
The challenge is ensuring that increased revenue produces visible and measurable benefits for citizens.
For Kpadeh, the appropriate response to improved national revenue is collective pride, coupled with responsible stewardship.
His closing message was direct: “When Liberia rises, we all rise.”
The statement adds a civic dimension to the country’s ongoing fiscal debate, urging Liberians to separate national economic progress from political competition and to recognize that stronger public finances can create opportunities for development across the country.
The real test, however, will be whether increased revenue capacity is converted into better public services, infrastructure, economic opportunities and improved living conditions.
For Liberia, the revenue gains can therefore represent both an achievement and a responsibility.
The achievement is greater fiscal capacity.
The responsibility is ensuring that every additional dollar is managed in a manner that serves the public interest.
