Monrovia, Liberia – A $17 million project aimed at providing tax policy advice to Liberia has been scrapped by the newly formed “Department of Government Efficiency” DOGE, the organization led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The decision was announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Musk himself, citing concerns over government spending.
“Among many other things, @DOGE today canceled a $17M project to provide tax policy advice to Liberia. Why would anyone think that this is a good use of YOUR tax money?” Musk wrote.
The move aligns with DOGE’s broader mission to cut down on what it sees as government waste while improving the efficiency of U.S. federal operations. However, the cancellation comes amid wider disruptions to global development programs, following the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid.
The $17 million initiative was originally designed to support Liberia in strengthening its tax policies, a crucial aspect of its economic recovery efforts.
With the project’s termination, questions arise about how the Liberian government will navigate fiscal reforms without the anticipated technical support.
In July 2024, President Boakai held a virtual meeting with Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of SpaceX, to discuss potential technological collaborations. Following this, in October 2024, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) signed a one-year licensing agreement with Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Musk’s SpaceX, to provide internet connectivity across Liberia.
By January 2025, Starlink’s service became operational in Liberia, marking its first market entry into Africa that year
