Customs revenue jumps to 450 million dollars monthly since AI introduction

Revenue mobilised by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has increased significantly to approximately 450 million dollars a month since the introduction of artificial intelligence systems.

This increase is an indication of the positive impact of the modernisation of the country’s tax system.

Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, disclosed this on the sidelines of the West African Tax Administrators Forum, which is being hosted in Ghana.

“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. By strengthening the accuracy with which imports are valued and goods are classified, customs revenue collections have risen from approximately US$350 million to as much as US$450 million a month, an increase of some US$100 million every month,” he told the gathering.

He further explained; “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. 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.”

The improvement in tax collections as a result of reforms in the Customs Division began in April after the government decided to install the artificial intelligence system to support the valuation of goods at the ports.

According to the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, this has been a game changer.

The 8th West African Tax Administrators Forum coincided with the 15-year anniversary of the association since its establishment.

Executive Secretary of the Forum, Jules Tapsoba, believes that the platform provided by the forum has supported many countries in enhancing their revenue mobilisation since its inception.

The theme for this year’s forum is “Building Stronger Tax Administrations for Revenue Mobilisation and Sustainable Development”.