From February 1 the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will begin implementing an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system to improve and facilitate import clearance at the country’s entry points, starting with the Tema Port. 

The rollout of the AI-powered Publican Trade Solution is expected to boost customs revenue by 40 to 45 per cent while significantly enhancing speed, efficiency, and transparency in cargo processing.

It is also to address entrenched abuses in the use of import declaration forms (IDF).

For instance, information from the 2026 Budget indicates that between April 2020 and August 2025, more than 525,000 IDF transactions worth about $83 billion were processed through the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) yet only 10,440 were linked to actual imports, with an estimated $31 billion transferred abroad without goods, alongside under-declared imports valued at about GH¢76 billion that denied the state roughly GH¢11 billion in potential revenue.

Consequently, the new system seeks to integrate customs and international trade data, enabling real-time analysis to support valuation, risk profiling, and decision-making by customs officers.

It is designed to detect undervaluation, misclassification, and other trade malpractices without adding extra costs to importers, while facilitating legitimate trade and protecting government revenue.

The implementation of the system would also not increase the cost of importers.

Cross-border trade

Engaging the media on the new system in Accra last Friday, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, stated that the Integrated Customs Management System introduced in June 2020 was designed to harmonise cross-border trade processes, reduce transaction costs, and improve domestic revenue mobilisation.

He said that although the system had enhanced trade facilitation and operational efficiency, persistent challenges, such as undervaluation, misclassification, smuggling and falsification of trade data, continued to undermine customs controls.

He said these discrepancies underscored the urgent need for an advanced, technology-driven inspection and analytics framework to strengthen compliance and close revenue leakages at the ports.

Modernise customs

The minister said the government had, therefore, approved the deployment of an AI-powered trade data analytics system to modernise customs administration and enhance revenue mobilisation.

“This system will inspect every shipment document in real time, cross-check declarations with reliable global data sources, and flag high-risk or fraudulent transactions within minutes,” Mr Ampem stated.

He assured importers and freight forwarders that the technology would not delay cargo clearance or impose additional costs on legitimate businesses.

“Those who comply fully have nothing to fear, but from February, all importers must be prepared to pay the accurate duties on what they bring into the country,” he added.

Decisive shift

The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, said that the introduction of an AI-powered trade data analytics system would mark a significant shift in the authority’s approach to revenue assurance and customs compliance.

He explained that the persistent gaps identified under the ICUMS regime, particularly in valuation, classification and data integrity, had necessitated a more intelligent and predictive system that could support officers beyond manual checks.

“Customs operations today are driven by data, and if the data is distorted, then the outcomes will be distorted as well,” he stated.

Mr Sarpong said the new system would empower customs officers with instant access to credible international trade benchmarks, enabling them to verify declarations with greater accuracy and confidence.

“This platform does not replace our officers; it strengthens them by providing real-time intelligence that would otherwise take weeks or months to uncover,” he said.

Mr Sarpong added that early results from the pilot phase demonstrated the system’s effectiveness, as the recovery of additional revenue from a small sample of transactions showed the scale of potential leakages within the system.

Commitment

The Commissioner-General stated that the GRA was committed to ensuring the deployment of the technology would be transparent, fair, and business-friendly, particularly for compliant importers. 

“If you are doing the right thing, this system will actually make your clearance faster and more predictable,” Mr Sarpong stated.

He emphasised that the authority would continue to engage stakeholders ahead of full implementation to address concerns and to build trust.

He added that “our goal is not to punish trade, but to protect the integrity of Ghana’s revenue system while facilitating legitimate commerce”.