KRA rolls out trade initiatives to boost exports

KRA Commissioner General Humprey Wattanga when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism at the Parliament buildings, Nairobi. [File, Standard]

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intensified the sensitisation of traders on intra-African trade to position Kenya as a key exporting country. The move involves easing the cost of doing business and improving compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

The sensitisation, amid the International Customs Day 2025 being marked today, is intended to enlighten stakeholders on the opportunities in Kenya and avail more resources to ensure Kenya gets maximum benefits.

KRA said the one-stop-boarder-post has set the benchmark for efficient regional trade facilitation, cutting clearance times by 50 per cent, increasing trade volumes and fostering stronger regional partnerships through integrated border management. Additionally, KRA said about 30 per cent of customs revenue is paid by Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) importers.

The taxman intends to grow this figure by facilitating AEOs and expanding the programme to include other compliant taxpayers in other categories, especially those in warehousing and micro small and medium enterprises.

Despite the challenging economic environment, the Customs department collected Sh794 billion in the financial year 2023/2024, a five per cent growth rate in revenue. In the financial year 2024/2025, the Customs Department has already collected Sh429 billion.

KRA attributed the growth to its efficient and business-friendly Customs services.

"This has enabled KRA to record a 54 per cent reduction in the time taken to release goods from Port of Mombasa, Inland Container Depots and at Kenya Railways Corporation sheds," it noted.