Full Text: On September 26, 2025, Shine Liberia claimed that APM Terminals collected over US$45 million in 2018 and gave Liberia only US$7 million, while in 2019 it collected US$46 million and gave the Government of Liberia US$9 million. According to the post, this resulted in US$75 million retained by APM Terminals while Liberia received only US$16 million. As of the time of this verification, the post has attracted 177 reactions, 276 comments, and 14 shares on Facebook.
APM Terminals Liberia operates a modern multi-purpose port facility at Monrovia's Freeport under a government concession agreement. With a capacity of approximately 200,000 TEU per year, the terminal also handles general cargo (rice, wheat, cement, clinker, limestone, gypsum, etc.), project cargo, and break bulk, and provides pilotage and towing services. Operations began in February 2011, with a $125 million facility upgrade completed in 2017.
Verification: The Stage Media contacted Shine Liberia, who referenced a press conference by former National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director Bill Twehway, now Senator of River Cess County.
We contacted Twehway on Monday, October 13, 2025, seeking clarification on the information revealed in the video, but our inquiry remained unanswered at the time of publication
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In the video, Twehway claimed that in 2018, APM Terminals collected US$45,757,047.57 at the Freeport of Monrovia but remitted only US$7,960,212.37 to the Government of Liberia, retaining approximately US$37.9 million. He also alleged that in 2019, APM Terminals collected US$46,563,230.16 but remitted only US$9 million, again keeping about US$37 million.
However, when contacted, Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh, Communication, Media and Public Affairs Manager at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), reported that APM Terminals contributed US$5,394,043.91 in 2018 and US$3,962,201.11 in 2019 "in all tax kinds" contrary to Twehway's claim.
When asked for official breakdowns or detailed reports of company contributions, Sengbeh explained that such information cannot be released to third parties as it would violate the Liberia Revenue Code, Section 54 (C–D), which ensures taxpayer confidentiality.
He noted that the LRA conducts periodic audits and reconciliations with entities like the National Port Authority (NPA) and LEITI to verify payments when necessary.
Conclusion: The claim that APM Terminals collected over US$45 million annually but gave Liberia only US$7–9 million is misleading. The figures quoted by Shine Liberia are based on unverified political statements rather than official fiscal data. While APM Terminals makes tax contributions to the government, the company also retains operational revenues under its concession agreement with the Government of Liberia, which defines how port fees and revenues are shared not as a simple "collections versus payments" equation as the claim suggests.The distinction between revenue collection, operational costs, and tax obligations is crucial to understanding the true financial relationship between APM Terminals and the Liberian government.
