By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, July 29 ,2026 - The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Customs and Border Control Department collected a record KSh988.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, surpassing its revenue target.
In a statement on Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Dr. Lilian Nyawanda said the department achieved a 100.8 per cent performance rate after collecting KSh988.78 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. The collection represented a 12.4 per cent increase from the KSh879.33 billion raised in the previous financial year.
The latest performance marks the fifth consecutive year of revenue growth with Customs collecting more than KSh4.1 trillion cumulatively over the period.
The authority has attributed the strong performance to enhanced tax compliance initiatives, increased cargo volumes, technology-driven customs processes, stronger risk management systems, and closer collaboration with stakeholders.
“This historic performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our customs modernization programme and our continued commitment to balancing trade facilitation with revenue mobilization," Nyawanda said.
“We were deliberate in leveraging technology, strengthening compliance, and deepening partnerships with the trading community, as we continue to safeguard government revenue while supporting Kenya's position as a regional trade and logistics hub,” she added.
During the year under review, Customs also recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue collection, raising KSh89.08 billion in June 2026, equivalent to a 108 per cent performance rate.
The authority has said that the strong monthly performance was driven by collections from the Road Maintenance Levy, Value Added Tax on ordinary imports, import duty, Import Declaration Fees, Railway Development Levy and excise duty on imports.
Customs exceeded its monthly revenue targets in eight out of the 12 months of the financial year, with non-oil taxes growing by 14.3 per cent to KSh618.4 billion, while oil taxes rose by 9.5 per cent to KSh370.4 billion.
The Authority added that businesses enrolled under the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme contributed 28 per cent of total customs taxes during the year, demonstrating its strategic value in promoting compliant trade.
As part of efforts to modernise customs operations and improve the efficiency of the Customs department, the Authority is implementing innovative solutions and forging strategic partnerships to promote compliance, enhance service delivery, facilitate legitimate trade, and support sustainable revenue growth.
Recently, Customs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of the Republic of India to strengthen cooperation in the exchange of Pre-Arrival Information (PAI) on goods traded between the two countries.
The authority has also rolled out other initiatives, including the eCustoms Mobile Application to reduce the cost of compliance and make customs and tax services more accessible, convenient, and user-friendly for cross-border traders, as well as the introduction of Body-worn Cameras to enhance service delivery in customs operations.
The authority will also adopt the Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP), a blockchain-enabled digital trade corridor that facilitates a paperless supply chain between Kenya and its trading partners.
The platform connects clearing agents, logistics providers, and government regulatory agencies within a single digital ecosystem, enabling the secure exchange of trade information across borders.
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