Published: November 5, 2025
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has requested a one-week extension from the House of Representatives to submit the Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, citing ongoing consultations with key domestic and international partners to ensure the plan is realistic and comprehensive.
In a communication to Speaker Richard Koon, read in the plenary on Tuesday, Boakai cited Section 17.1 of the Amended and Restated Public Financial Management Act, which requires the Executive to submit the national budget at least two months before the end of the fiscal year, a deadline that falls on October 31.
Boakai stated that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority have finalized the revenue and expenditure framework, but input from key stakeholders is still awaited.
“Consultations with partners whose feedback is vital to crafting a credible and comprehensive budget have not been fully exhausted,” the President wrote.
The President requested that the submission be rescheduled to no later than November 7, 2025, to allow those discussions to conclude.
“To allow for the consummation of this process, it has become necessary that the draft FY2026 budget be submitted no sooner than November 7, 2025,” the letter stated.
Boakai assured lawmakers that his administration remains committed to collaboration with the Legislature throughout the budget review process.
“It is my hope that the FY2026 budget process will serve as one more opportunity to strengthen coordination toward our shared national vision,” he wrote.
House Endorses Request
Following the reading of the communication, lawmakers voted to receive and endorse it. Rep. Ivar Jones of Margibi moved the motion for acceptance.
However, Rep. Dixon Seboe, former chair of Ways, Means and Finance, cautioned that the delay could affect how long the House will have to debate the budget.
“As we accept this extension, it’s important we inform the Executive it may have an impact on passage,” Seboe said. “Both branches need to coordinate early.”
Speaker Koon welcomed the President’s formal engagement, calling it a sign of respect and transparency. He instructed the Chief Clerk to notify the Executive of the House’s approval.
The one-week extension enables fiscal authorities to finalize consultations on revenue projections, infrastructure priorities, and social sector spending before the budget is submitted for legislative review.
The FY2026 Budget will be the second full-year spending plan under the Boakai administration and is expected to focus on infrastructure rehabilitation, food security, and job creation.
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