LRA Seeks Stronger Civil Society Role In Tax Compliance

Monrovia, Liberia —The Liberia Revenue Authority is seeking stronger involvement from civil society organizations in educating taxpayers, improving voluntary compliance, and strengthening public accountability in Liberia’s revenue system.

LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah says civil society has an important role to play in helping citizens understand their tax responsibilities and how government revenue contributes to national development.

He made the statement over the weekend during the launch of the Government of Liberia-Civil Society Organizations Accord and Partnership Policy Framework Implementation Strategy at the Governance Commission in Monrovia.

Commissioner General Jallah said maintaining Liberia’s recent growth in domestic revenue will require greater public understanding and trust in the tax system.

He pointed to Value Added Tax, real estate revenue, customs integrity, and the modernization of tax and customs systems as areas requiring increased public engagement.

The LRA Commissioner General also disclosed that his institution is working with the Governance Commission on a nationwide public education campaign ahead of the implementation of Value Added Tax, or VAT, on January 1, 2027.

The campaign is expected to help traders, businesses, and consumers understand the new tax, including their rights and responsibilities.

Jallah said civil society organizations can help extend that information beyond government offices and into communities, while also helping identify revenue leakages and promoting accountability.

“Taxation and civic engagement are two sides of the same social contract,” Jallah said, stressing that public understanding is important to building confidence in the tax system.

Under the proposed partnership, the LRA plans to expand taxpayer education to civil society organizations and communities across all 15 counties.

The Authority also plans to support simplified registration and compliance by linking Taxpayer Identification Number registration with the registration and accreditation of civil society organizations.

The initiative will also promote timely payroll tax withholding and filing, while the LRA says it will work toward greater transparency in tax exemptions and duty-free privileges.

Commissioner General Jallah further encouraged civil society groups to scrutinize the LRA’s operations and report concerns involving integrity or revenue administration.

He said constructive public scrutiny can help strengthen trust and improve the effectiveness of the country’s tax system.

The initiative comes after Liberia recorded more than one billion U.S. dollars in domestic revenue during Fiscal Year 2026, a milestone the LRA says was achieved through contributions from taxpayers, businesses, importers, employees, and other sectors of the economy.

Meanwhile, the Government of Liberia-Civil Society Organizations Partnership Policy Implementation Strategy seeks to increase implementation of the policy from about 20 percent to 80 percent by 2027.

The framework also provides for a Civil Society Trust Fund, an annual National Partnership Summit, a Partnership Policy Technical Working Group, and decentralized registration and accreditation of civil society organizations.

The launch brought together government officials, civil society organizations, development partners, faith-based groups, and other stakeholders.