NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has achieved a historic milestone, collecting Ksh.82.55 billion in customs revenue in January 2025.
This marks the highest monthly collection in the history of the Customs and Border Control department, surpassing its target of Ksh.74.439 billion by Ksh.8.116 billion.
Customs and Border Control Commissioner Dr. Lilian Nyawanda credited the record-breaking performance to ongoing reforms within the department, particularly the introduction of Centralised Release Operations.
Under this system, release officers operate from a centralized location and process customs declarations randomly, a move aimed at ensuring a more objective and efficient process.
“Customs kicked off the second half of the 2024/2025 financial year on an upward trajectory, achieving a performance rate of 110.9 per cent,” Nyawanda stated.
The revenue surge represents a 27.0 per cent growth compared to the modest 4.8 per cent increase recorded in the first half of the financial year (July-December 2024).
Notably, non-petroleum taxes grew by 11.6 per cent compared to January 2024, while petroleum taxes saw a significant jump of 55.9 per cent, largely due to an increase in oil volumes.
KRA’s latest revenue figures signal the impact of ongoing efficiency reforms in customs processes and could bolster the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts amid economic recovery challenges.
The authority is expected to maintain momentum as it pursues further measures to enhance revenue collection and minimize leakages.
