The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has recorded a historic milestone after collecting Ksh85.146 billion in customs taxes in September 2025, the highest monthly total in its history.
In a statement released on Wednesday, KRA announced that the September performance surpassed its monthly target of Ksh81.341 billion by Ksh3.806 billion, translating to an impressive 104.7 per cent achievement rate. The authority added that this represents an 18.8 per cent year-on-year growth compared to the same period in the previous financial year, highlighting a consistent upward trend in revenue mobilisation.
“In September alone, customs collections exceeded the monthly target of Ksh81.341 billion by Ksh3.806 billion, achieving a performance rate of 104.7 per cent. This outstanding result also marks an impressive year-on-year growth of 18.8 per cent compared to the same period in the previous financial year,” KRA stated.
The tax agency attributed the growth to robust performance across both trade and petroleum tax categories. Trade taxes brought in Ksh51.737 billion against a target of Ksh50.739 billion, reflecting a 22.1 per cent year-on-year increase and a 102 per cent performance rate. Meanwhile, petroleum taxes yielded Ksh33.408 billion against a target of Ksh30.602 billion, representing a 109.2 per cent performance rate.
According to KRA, the exceptional results stemmed from institutional reforms and technological innovations designed to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in customs operations. One of the key initiatives cited was the establishment of a Central Release Operations Office, which has revolutionised how goods are verified and cleared.
“Under this system, head verification officers operate from a central location and randomly allocate release stations to verify and clear goods, thereby reducing human contact and opportunities for manipulation,” KRA explained.
The reforms have also helped close loopholes, boost compliance levels, and seal revenue leakages that previously undermined customs performance.
This achievement follows the Authority’s strong performance in July 2025, when KRA reported a 6.8 per cent growth in total revenue collection, netting Ksh2.571 trillion despite prevailing economic challenges. The taxman achieved an overall 100.6 per cent performance rate, up from Ksh2.407 trillion collected in the previous financial year.
“KRA remains steadfast in its commitment to mobilising revenue for national development while fostering fairness, transparency, and service excellence,” the statement concluded.
