Kenya has taken a major leap in digitizing trade operations with the launch of a new digital system, the eCustoms App, a platform designed to simplify trade procedures, speed up goods clearance, and modernize border operations across the country.
The Kenya Revenue Authority will now process customs declarations faster, more accurately, and without paperwork. This marks a significant shift toward seamless service delivery for traders, transporters, and passengers.
The eCustoms App is a joint innovation by the British High Commission in Kenya, the Kenya Revenue Authority, and TradeMark Africa. Officials launched the system at the Busia One Stop Border Post along the Kenya–Uganda border, marking the beginning of a region-wide digital transformation.
The launch was attended by senior leaders, including Commissioner for Customs and Border Control Dr. Lilian Nyawanda, TMA CEO David Beer, British High Commission Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Ed Barnett, TMA Board Chair and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Boshe, among other dignitaries.
Dr. Nyawanda said the eCustoms App marked a milestone in Kenya’s and East Africa’s efforts toward simplifying trade, reducing clearance delays, and increasing transparency at border points. She observed that by going paperless, the system offers faster, more accessible, and more transparent services for all border users.
“To the stakeholders gathered here today, traders, clearing agents, transporters, and fellow border agencies, I urge you to embrace this platform and collaborate with KRA to ensure a smooth adoption process. Because when we embrace technology, we unlock efficiency, and when we unlock efficiency, we unlock prosperity.”
She reaffirmed that KRA was committed to investing in digital solutions to keep services efficient and user-friendly. The platform is expected to sharply reduce the time and costs linked to cross-border processes, including helping small traders save an estimated Sh750 per customs declaration, a significant boost for women and youth crossing borders regularly.
Available on Android and iOS, the app empowers users at all levels. Small-scale traders can self-declare goods using simplified digital forms, improving compliance and reducing costly errors. Passengers can pre-declare their baggage before arrival, significantly cutting their wait times. Truck drivers and transport operators will also experience smoother truck rotation, toll-free movements, and easier management of declarations for empty trucks and toll collections.
The app also allows for fast-track declarations for goods valued at USD 2,000 or less to further strengthen the SMEs and informal cross-border trade that drive much of the region’s economy.
Speaking during the event, former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Boshe hailed the innovation as a breakthrough for East African trade integration. He noted that increased efficiency at border points would deepen regional trade, spur economic growth, and strengthen partnerships that support long-term development.
Dr. Ed Barnett added that the app marks more than a technological milestone; it is a transformation in the way Kenya manages its trade and connects to global value chains.
“For Kenya, this means faster clearance times, improved compliance, and stronger integration into regional and global value chains. For traders and citizens, it means greater convenience and trust in the systems that support economic growth.”
He praised the Kenya–UK partnership for delivering a tool that directly empowers small businesses, describing them as the “hustling backbone” of the Kenyan economy. From truck fleet owners to Probox operators and Boda Boda riders, Barnett said the app offers real, immediate benefits.
The eCustoms App is set to play a pivotal role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enhancing trade flows within Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the larger East African region. Traders moving goods across borders will soon have access to the platform at all crossing points for unified, reliable digital support as the region pushes toward a fully modernized trading environment.
