The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) collected a record Ksh.85.2 billion in customs revenue in September, driven by increased petroleum and trade tax collections.
This figure surpassed the previous record of Ksh.82.6 billion collected in January 2025 and represented a 104.7 percent performance rate against the target of Ksh.81.34 billion.
Out of the total, trade taxes accounted for Ksh.51.7 billion, while petroleum levies brought in Ksh.33.4 billion during the month.
KRA attributed the strong performance to a series of reforms aimed at improving revenue collection efficiency. “Notably, the establishment of a Central Release Operations office has played a pivotal role,” the authority said in a statement.
“Through this system, head verification officers work from a centralized location and assign release stations randomly to inspect and clear goods. This approach has reduced human contact, ensuring more impartial cargo release decisions and closing potential revenue loopholes. It has also significantly enhanced cargo release turnaround times,” the statement added.
For the 2025/26 fiscal year, KRA aims to collect Ksh.2.754 trillion to support government programmes.
Having fallen short of its revenue target in the 2024/25 financial year, the tax agency has committed to leveraging technology and simplifying tax processes to boost compliance and meet its ambitious revenue goals this year.
