Boakai Pushes Salary Reversal As Liberia Hits US$1 Billion Revenue Milestone….President Links Revenue Growth to Better Pay, Services

By Amos Harris

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has called for the reversal of civil servants’ salary harmonization, emphasizing that Liberia’s historic surge in domestic revenue must translate into direct, tangible improvements in the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

In a major national address delivered on September 14, 2026, President Boakai announced that Liberia has officially surpassed US$1 billion in domestic revenue collection within a single fiscal year. This achievement marks the first time in the nation’s 179-year history that domestic revenues have crossed the billion-dollar threshold.

The President commended the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), led by Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, for driving the performance. He also praised Liberian citizens and local businesses for fulfilling their civic obligations through tax payments, emphasizing that the funds were generated entirely through internal revenue mobilization rather than foreign loans or external aid.

Describing the milestone as proof that Liberian institutions can deliver results, President Boakai noted that domestic revenue is “Liberian revenue, raised for Liberia’s development.” He outlined the country’s revenue growth trajectory, noting that internal collections rose from approximately US$612 million in 2023 to over US$1 billion today, with projections on track to hit US$1.3 billion by the end of December 2026. The President highlighted that this progress was achieved despite a challenging global economic environment marked by regional conflicts and international trade disruptions.

While noting that national macroeconomic stability and commodity price controls have helped cushion the economy, President Boakai acknowledged that citizens expect official revenue statistics to yield real economic relief.

Addressing public expectations, the President highlighted the urgency of supporting local traders and improving public sector welfare. He specifically advocated for reversing the previous salary harmonization policy, signaling that the nation’s expanded fiscal space should be leveraged to boost compensation for public servants.

To drive private sector expansion, President Boakai revealed that his administration is evaluating the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). This initiative would redirect a portion of domestic revenue toward financing Liberian-owned small and medium-sized enterprises, complementing the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).

Furthermore, the President pledged that additional state resources will be allocated to upgrade basic social services, specifically public education and healthcare systems. Planned interventions include recruiting new civil servants, addressing drug shortages in government health facilities, and improving learning environments across schools and public universities.

President Boakai noted that his administration has already increased pay for over 23,000 public servants, including healthcare workers, security personnel, and teachers, while placing more than 3,400 long-serving volunteer teachers and health workers onto the regular government payroll.

Concluding his address, President Boakai called for sustained fiscal discipline, transparency, and hard work, reminding the nation that crossing the US$1 billion mark is simply a foundation for fulfilling the broader socio-economic aspirations of the Liberian people.

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