Ghana’s Customs Division has recorded a significant surge in monthly revenue collections, rising from approximately $350 million to as much as $450 million since the introduction of artificial intelligence systems to support customs operations, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced.
Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong disclosed the figures on the sidelines of the 8th West African Tax Administrators Forum (WATAF), which is being hosted in Accra from September 15 to 19, 2026, coinciding with the organisation’s 15th anniversary.
“The Ghana Revenue Authority has recently embarked on a comprehensive modernisation of our customs operations, particularly in the critical areas of valuation and classification, and the results have been immediate and striking,” Sarpong told the gathering. “By strengthening the accuracy with which imports are valued and goods are classified, customs revenue collections have risen from approximately US450 million a month — an increase of some US$100 million every month.”
‘No New Taxes, No Higher Rates’
The Commissioner-General was emphatic that the revenue gains were not the product of new tax measures. “That is the power of administrative reform: no new taxes, no higher rates — simply the fair and accurate application of the rules, supported by modern systems and professional integrity,” he said. “I share these figures not as a boast, but as evidence — evidence that when political will, administrative reform, and digital innovation converge, African revenue administrations can deliver results that transform the fiscal destiny of nations.”
Publican AI: The System Behind the Surge
The improvement in customs collections traces back to April 2026, when the government fully implemented the Publican AI system — also referred to as the Publican Trade Solution — to support the valuation of goods at Ghana’s ports. The AI-powered platform became fully operational in April after a pilot phase earlier in the year.
The system is designed to analyse import declarations in real time, cross-check them against global trade data, and flag high-risk or fraudulent transactions for further review by customs officers. According to GRA officials, Publican AI complements the existing Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) by providing intelligence to support informed decision-making and ensure fairness and consistency in customs valuation.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson told Parliament in July 2026 that the system had generated more than US$400 million in additional assessed customs revenue since its introduction, analysing approximately 500,000 import declarations and triggering risk indicators on nearly 24 percent of them. The minister said many of those declarations would have been cleared without detailed scrutiny previously, leading to significant revenue losses.
Revenue Growth Since Implementation
The impact on monthly customs receipts has been substantial. Before full implementation, the GRA collected about GH¢4 billion per month in customs revenue. By June 2026, that figure had risen to GH¢5.5 billion, and by July it reached GH¢6.1 billion — an increase of more than GH¢2 billion per month.
The Finance Minister disclosed that the system generated additional assessed collections of US51.63 million in April, US55.84 million in June, and US$35.17 million during the first 17 days of July.
Regional Significance
Sarpong framed the results as a model for West African revenue administrations seeking to mobilise domestic resources amid fiscal pressures. “Let us embrace it with the courage to dream of a West Africa that commands its own destiny, the courage to dare to build revenue systems worthy of our people’s aspiration,” he told fellow commissioners-general and tax administrators.
The 8th WATAF High-Level Policy Dialogue and 23rd General Assembly brings together finance ministers, commissioners-general, development partners, and international tax experts under the theme “Building Stronger Tax Administrations for Revenue Mobilisation and Sustainable Development”. Since its establishment in 2011, WATAF has trained more than 5,000 tax officials and delivered 26 regional training programmes between 2024 and mid-2026, reaching over 2,365 tax officials.
WATAF Executive Secretary Jules Tapsoba said the forum has supported member countries in enhancing revenue mobilisation since its inception, adding that the 15-year milestone “provides an opportunity to reflect on WATAF’s progress and shape its future”.
Concerns and Challenges
The AI rollout has not been without friction. Freight forwarders and importers have raised concerns about the system’s valuation methodology and its impact on clearance processes. In April 2026, a coalition of trade associations called for the system’s suspension, arguing that the AI sometimes generates reference prices that conflict with the Transaction Value principle under the World Trade Organization’s Customs Valuation Agreement, which requires that the actual price paid by the buyer serve as the primary basis for taxation.
The GRA has maintained that Publican AI is an analytical tool designed to complement — not replace — customs officers, providing intelligence to support informed decision-making rather than serving as a final arbiter of valuation.
Future Reforms
Sarpong also announced plans for a major reform targeting Value Added Tax (VAT) collection, describing it as a potential “game changer” for VAT administration. Currently, only four out of ten businesses pay VAT correctly, with the remainder either failing to charge it or remitting it improperly. Parliament has approved a project mandating device installation at shops to improve VAT administration, and the GRA plans a taxpayer reward scheme for individuals who collect VAT receipts.
