The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has started the new financial year on a strong note after its Customs and Border Control Department collected a record Ksh92.53 billion in July.
The collection is the highest monthly amount recorded by the department, and was Ksh6.37 billion above the Treasury’s target of Ksh86.16 billion.
This means Customs achieved 107.39 per cent of its target for the month.
The July figures also represent a 15.3 per cent increase from the Ksh80.29 billion collected during the same month last year.
The latest performance comes only a month after Customs set its previous record, collecting Ksh89.1 billion in June 2026.
Non-oil revenue crosses Ksh60 billion
A significant part of the July collection came from non-oil revenue, which stood at Ksh61.50 billion.
According to KRA, this was the first time non-oil Customs revenue had crossed the Ksh60 billion mark in a single month.
The authority attributed the improvement to increased compliance among traders, better cargo management and greater use of technology in customs operations.
KRA has also been stepping up efforts to tackle illicit trade and revenue leakages while making it easier for businesses that comply with the rules to move their goods through the country’s borders.
Customs and Border Control Commissioner Lilian Nyawanda said the latest figures showed that investments in technology and trade facilitation were beginning to pay off.
“The record collection in July is a significant milestone for KRA and a strong start to the new financial year,” Nyawanda said.
She added that the authority would keep striving to facilitate business dealings for those firms that adhere to the set rules while making sure that the government gets its rightful revenues.
The impressive performance is attributed to the reforms being undertaken by KRA and Kenya Ports Authority with the aim of reducing delays in clearance of cargo at the Port of Mombasa.
Among the measures being introduced are a Smart Gate pilot and plans to support round-the-clock operations at Container Freight Stations.
KRA also rolled out the Advanced Cargo Declaration system on August 3, allowing importers and other traders to submit and verify cargo documents before goods are loaded at the port of export.
The taxman said more than 1,000 applications had already been received through the platform.
The implementation of the Smart Gate initiative is set to further facilitate cargo movement at the exit points of the port.
The exceptional July performance sets a good foundation for KRA as it embarks on the fiscal year 2026/27.V