The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced that its Customs and Border Control Department collected a record Ksh 988.78 billion during the 2025/26 financial year, surpassing its annual revenue target and marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in customs collections.
The department exceeded its target of Ksh 980.79 billion by achieving a performance rate of 100.8 per cent, with the revenue representing a 12.4 per cent increase from the Ksh 879.33 billion collected in the previous financial year.
KRA said the strong performance was driven by improved tax compliance, increased cargo volumes, technology-driven customs processes, better risk management and stronger collaboration with stakeholders across the trade sector.
Customs and Border Control Commissioner Dr Lilian Nyawanda said the achievement reflects the success of reforms aimed at modernising customs operations while supporting legitimate trade.
“This historic performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our customs modernisation programme and our continued commitment to balancing trade facilitation with revenue mobilisation,” said Nyawanda.
“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.
The financial year also produced the highest monthly customs revenue ever recorded in Kenya after the department collected KSh89.08 billion in June 2026.
According to KRA, June exceeded its revenue target by posting a performance rate of 108 per cent, largely driven by collections from the Road Maintenance Levy, Value Added Tax on ordinary imports, Import Duty, Import Declaration Fees, the Railway Development Levy and Excise Duty on imported goods.
The authority said Customs also surpassed its monthly revenue targets in eight of the twelve months during the financial year, including July, September, October, December, February, March, May and June.
Non-oil taxes remained the biggest contributor after growing by 14.3 per cent to generate KSh618.4 billion, while oil taxes rose by 9.5 per cent to Ksh 370.38 billion.
KRA also noted that businesses enrolled under the Authorised Economic Operator programme contributed 28 per cent of all customs taxes collected during the financial year, demonstrating the growing role of compliant traders in supporting revenue collection and improving supply chain efficiency.
Beyond revenue collection, the authority continued rolling out digital initiatives aimed at improving customs services and facilitating trade.
During the year, KRA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs to facilitate the electronic exchange of pre-arrival cargo information, a move expected to speed up cargo clearance and strengthen risk management.
The authority also introduced the eCustoms Mobile Application to make customs and tax services more accessible for cross-border traders, while Body Worn Cameras were deployed to improve transparency, accountability and professionalism among customs officers.
Nyawanda said KRA will continue investing in technology to improve service delivery and support trade.
“KRA remains committed to modernising customs administration, facilitating legitimate trade, combating illicit trade, and enhancing border security through digital transformation, intelligence-led enforcement, and strategic stakeholder engagement,” she said.
The authority is also upgrading its Integrated Customs Management System and plans to implement the Trade Logistics Information Pipeline, a blockchain-enabled digital platform designed to reduce paperwork, improve cargo visibility and enhance the efficiency of cross-border trade.
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