Imports drive KRA customs revenue growth to Sh90 billion

The Kenya Revenue Authority Customs Department has announced it collected Sh90b in September, exceeding its Treasury target by Sh965m and achieving 101.1 per cent of its revenue goal.

In a statement on Monday, October 12, KRA said collection surpassed the target of Sh 89.088 billion, translating to a performance rate of 101.1 per cent.

“It also represented a 5.8 per cent growth compared to the Sh 85.146 billion collected in September 2025.”

They attributed the growth to strong non-oil revenue collections, which reached Sh 57.199 billion against a target of Sh 55.422 billion, exceeding the target by Sh 1.778 billion.

The growth in non-oil revenue, they say, was driven by a 25.6 per cent increase in the overall value of imports, with bulk cargo growing by 49.2 per cent.

“The increase in bulk cargo was mainly attributed to imports of fertilisers, iron and steel, palm oil and its fractions, and rice, among other commodities.”

Adding,” The number of imported Motor Vehicles and Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled for containerised cargo also increased by 8.1 per cent and 8.2 per cent, respectively.”

The Authority further attributed the results to effective Customs administration in facilitating legitimate trade while safeguarding government revenue.

“KRA continues to strengthen compliance through technology-driven customs processes and enhanced enforcement against illicit trade and revenue leakage.”

The Authority further revealed that it is implementing reforms to make Customs operations more efficient, transparent and predictable for traders.

The introduction of Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) and the increased use of data to strengthen cargo risk management, improve the processing of customs declarations and enhance the identification of high-risk consignments are some of the reforms.

Additionally, KRA noted that September performance reinforces its commitment to mobilising the revenue needed to finance the Government’s development priorities, support economic growth, and strengthen the country’s fiscal position. It added that it will continue to pursue reforms that improve compliance, enhance operational efficiency and create a fair and predictable trading environment for businesses.

The Kenya Revenue Authority Customs Department has announced it collected Sh90b in September, exceeding its Treasury target by Sh965m and achieving 101.1 per cent of its revenue goal.

In a statement on Monday, October 12, KRA said collection surpassed the target of Sh 89.088 billion, translating to a performance rate of 101.1 per cent.

“It also represented a 5.8 per cent growth compared to the Sh 85.146 billion collected in September 2025.”

They attributed the growth to strong non-oil revenue collections, which reached Sh 57.199 billion against a target of Sh 55.422 billion, exceeding the target by Sh 1.778 billion.

The growth in non-oil revenue, they say, was driven by a 25.6 per cent increase in the overall value of imports, with bulk cargo growing by 49.2 per cent.

“The increase in bulk cargo was mainly attributed to imports of fertilisers, iron and steel, palm oil and its fractions, and rice, among other commodities.”

Adding,” The number of imported Motor Vehicles and Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled for containerised cargo also increased by 8.1 per cent and 8.2 per cent, respectively.”

The Authority further attributed the results to effective Customs administration in facilitating legitimate trade while safeguarding government revenue.

“KRA continues to strengthen compliance through technology-driven customs processes and enhanced enforcement against illicit trade and revenue leakage.”

The Authority further revealed that it is implementing reforms to make Customs operations more efficient, transparent and predictable for traders.

The introduction of Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) and the increased use of data to strengthen cargo risk management, improve the processing of customs declarations and enhance the identification of high-risk consignments are some of the reforms.

Additionally, KRA noted that September performance reinforces its commitment to mobilising the revenue needed to finance the Government’s development priorities, support economic growth, and strengthen the country’s fiscal position. It added that it will continue to pursue reforms that improve compliance, enhance operational efficiency and create a fair and predictable trading environment for businesses.