— Antigua and Barbuda’s economy is projected to expand by another 5 percent this year, with government officials attributing the anticipated growth to a booming construction sector, increased housing development, stronger consumer spending and rising imports.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant announced the projection Thursday during the question-and-answer segment of the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, where he elaborated on the government’s second-quarter fiscal performance after being asked about the steady increase in customs revenue.
Merchant said the country’s improving economic performance extends well beyond stronger tax enforcement and compliance, pointing to sustained growth across several sectors of the economy.
“You hit the nail on the head. It’s enforcement, compliance, and of course individuals are importing more into Antigua and Barbuda,” Merchant said.
He noted that Antigua and Barbuda remains heavily dependent on imported goods, with increased economic activity driving higher demand from businesses and consumers alike.
“Antigua and Barbuda imports everything,” Merchant said, explaining that supermarkets, retailers and other businesses are bringing in larger volumes of goods to satisfy growing consumer demand.
According to Merchant, those trends are helping fuel another year of strong economic expansion.
“As a matter of fact, we are projected to grow the economy by some 5 percent again this year,” he said.
Merchant attributed the projected growth to continued activity in the construction and housing sectors, coupled with higher levels of disposable income and stronger consumer spending.
“Construction, housing, people spending more, people having more disposable income — all of that lends to a great economy,” he said.
The improved economic climate has also translated into stronger government revenues, Merchant said.
He disclosed that Customs, Inland Revenue and other government revenue agencies are generating surpluses, providing the administration with additional financial flexibility to respond to national priorities.
“Government has more disposable income,” Merchant said.
As an example, he pointed to Cabinet’s decision to immediately allocate EC$2.5 million for the purchase of a new CT scanner for the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
“That’s why government was able to immediately say that the EC$2.5 million needed for that CT scanner at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre should become available right away, and it’s because of surpluses that the government has at its disposal at this time to meet the needs of the people of Antigua and Barbuda,” Merchant said.
Earlier in the briefing, Cabinet was told that customs revenue has continued to climb steadily in recent years, increasing from EC$392 million in 2022 to EC$402 million in 2023 , EC$502 million in 2024 and a record EC$573 million in 2025. During the first six months of 2026, the Customs and Excise Division collected EC$276.85 million , compared with EC$255.37 million during the corresponding period last year.
Merchant said the sustained growth in government revenues reflects a resilient economy and has strengthened the administration’s ability to invest in healthcare, infrastructure and other public services while maintaining prudent fiscal management.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Government Projects Antigua and Barbuda's Economy to Grow Another Five Percent This Year.