FIA Launches Five-Year Strategic Plan to Strengthen Liberia’s Financial Integrity
BY: T, Mark Vahmie
Monrovia, Liberia – The Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) has officially launched its 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, reaffirming Liberia’s commitment to combating money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, and other financial crimes while strengthening the country’s financial governance.
The Strategic Plan was unveiled on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, during a ceremony attended by senior government officials, development partners, financial sector stakeholders, civil society organizations, and representatives of international institutions.
Speaking at the launch, Alaric K. Tokpa, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, described the FIA as a critical institution responsible for protecting Liberia’s financial system from corruption, illicit financial flows, and criminal exploitation.
He said the Agency plays a central role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance while advancing Liberia’s national development agenda.
“The FIA is reclaiming its rightful place and performing its rightful role,” Tokpa declared, praising the leadership of Mohammed A. Nasser for restoring the credibility of the institution.
According to Tokpa, the FIA’s recent enforcement actions—including sanctions against non-compliant institutions, regulatory warnings, and investigations into financial irregularities—demonstrate that the Agency is fulfilling its statutory mandate.
He emphasized that the FIA’s work directly supports Pillar Four (Governance and Anti-Corruption) of the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) by monitoring financial transactions, enforcing accountability, and aligning Liberia with international anti-money laundering standards.
Tokpa also highlighted the importance of Liberia’s partnerships with regional and international organizations, including Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, Financial Action Task Force, and the Egmont Group.
He noted that because financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing are transnational, Liberia must remain connected to global intelligence-sharing networks to effectively detect and combat illicit financial activities.
“The launch of this Strategic Plan is more than a ceremonial event,” Tokpa said. “It represents a covenant with the Liberian people that governance will be transparent, institutions will remain accountable, and reforms will be measurable.”
He stressed that protecting Liberia’s financial system is essential to safeguarding national security, strengthening investor confidence, preserving public trust, and promoting inclusive economic growth.
Tokpa further urged stronger collaboration among government institutions, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, civil society organizations, the judiciary, and international partners, emphasizing that no single institution can successfully combat financial crimes alone.
He also called on banks, insurance companies, real estate firms, money transfer businesses, lawyers, accountants, and other reporting entities to view compliance with anti-money laundering regulations as a national responsibility rather than a regulatory burden.
According to Tokpa, the Strategic Plan provides a roadmap for enhancing financial intelligence, strengthening inter-agency cooperation, increasing stakeholder engagement, and building institutional capacity over the next five years.
However, he cautioned that the success of the plan will depend on effective implementation, adequate funding, continuous monitoring, and strong political commitment.
He reaffirmed the Governance Commission’s commitment to working closely with the FIA to strengthen Liberia’s governance architecture and fight corruption.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Amos Y. Boakai, Deputy Director General of the FIA, said the Strategic Plan represents more than an institutional roadmap.
“It is a national commitment to building stronger systems, enhancing collaboration among stakeholders, and strengthening Liberia’s capacity to detect, prevent, and disrupt illicit financial flows,” Boakai said.
He added that the plan aligns with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and reinforces Liberia’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and sound economic governance.
Boakai noted that successful implementation of the strategy will require the collective efforts of government institutions, the private sector, civil society, development partners, and the international community.
Meanwhile, Micheal S. Doe, FIA Technical Focal Person for Program and Planning, explained that the Strategic Plan was developed through an inclusive consultative process based on an assessment of Liberia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework, international best practices, and the government’s development agenda.
According to Doe, the launch seeks to increase stakeholder awareness of the Agency’s strategic direction, communicate its priorities and expected outcomes, and mobilize support for implementation.
Former Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit, Alex Cuffey, also underscored the importance of the Strategic Plan, describing it as vital to strengthening Liberia’s public financial management and governance systems.
Cuffey said an effective AML/CFT framework is critical to protecting public resources, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable economic growth. He noted that stronger financial intelligence will help recover assets lost through financial crimes while ensuring resources are directed toward education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and energy.
Representing the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, a senior adviser reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the FIA and said the successful implementation of the Strategic Plan would improve inter-agency cooperation, strengthen financial intelligence capabilities, support asset recovery efforts, and enhance Liberia’s compliance with international standards established by FATF and GIABA.
The Ministry also emphasized that adequate funding and sustained political commitment will be essential to the successful implementation of the five-year strategy.
The launch brought together 35 participants, including members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, competent authorities, reporting entities, development partners, and civil society organizations at the FIA headquarters in Monrovia.
The 2026–2031 Strategic Plan is designed to strengthen financial intelligence operations, improve inter-agency coordination, deepen stakeholder engagement, and build institutional capacity as Liberia continues efforts to combat financial crimes and safeguard the integrity of its financial system.