The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) collected Ksh90.053 billion in customs revenue in September 2026, exceeding its target by Ksh965 million.
In a statement released on Monday, October 12, the tax agency said the Customs and Border Control Department surpassed its target of Ksh89.088 billion, achieving a performance rate of 101.1 per cent.
The September collections also marked a 5.8 per cent increase from the Ksh85.146 billion recorded during the same month in 2025, extending the department’s strong revenue performance in the 2026/2027 financial year.
“Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Customs and Border Control Department collected KES 90.053 billion in September 2026, exceeding its Treasury target by KES 965 million and sustaining its strong revenue performance in the 2026/2027 Financial Year,” the authority stated.
KRA attributed the growth largely to increased collections from non-oil imports, which generated Ksh57.199 billion against a target of Ksh55.422 billion. The amount exceeded the target by Ksh1.778 billion.
According to the authority, non-oil customs revenue benefited from a 25.6 per cent rise in the total value of imports, alongside a 49.2 per cent increase in bulk cargo volumes.
The growth in bulk cargo was driven by increased imports of fertilisers, iron and steel, palm oil and its derivatives, rice and other commodities.
KRA also reported an 8.1 per cent increase in imported motor vehicles, while containerised cargo handled through twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) rose by 8.2 per cent.
The authority said the latest figures demonstrate the importance of efficient customs administration in facilitating legitimate trade while ensuring the government collects revenue due to it.
KRA added that it was implementing reforms aimed at making customs processes more efficient, transparent and predictable for traders.
Among the measures are the introduction of Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) and greater use of data analytics to improve cargo risk assessment, speed up the processing of customs declarations and identify high-risk consignments.
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“These include 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,” the authority said.
KRA Recorded Record Customs Revenue in July
The September performance follows another strong showing by the Customs and Border Control Department in July 2026, when it posted its highest-ever monthly revenue collection.
In a statement issued on August 12, KRA reported collecting Ksh92.53 billion during the month, surpassing the National Treasury’s target of Ksh86.16 billion by Ksh6.37 billion.
The July collections represented 107.39 per cent of the target and marked a 15.3 per cent increase compared with the Ksh80.29 billion collected in July 2025.
Before the July record, the department had collected Ksh89.1 billion in June 2026, which was then its highest monthly total.
Non-oil revenue contributed significantly to the July performance, rising to Ksh61.50 billion and exceeding the Ksh60 billion threshold for the first time in a single month.
KRA attributed the improvement in customs revenue to the adoption of technology, better cargo management systems and strengthened compliance measures.
