The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says the deployment of its artificial intelligence-powered Publican AI system has contributed to a significant increase in customs revenue, with collections reaching GH¢6.1 billion in July 2026.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Sarpong, said monthly customs revenue averaged about GH¢4 billion before the full implementation of the system, indicating an increase of about GH¢2.1 billion in July.

He disclosed this when the Board and Management of the GRA paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace.

According to Dr Sarpong, the full implementation of Publican AI began in April 2026 as part of customs reforms aimed at improving the valuation of imported goods and enhancing revenue mobilisation.

He said the reforms have resulted in steady growth in customs collections, with revenue rising to GH¢5.5 billion in June before hitting GH¢6.1 billion in July.

“The full implementation started in April 2026. So, between April and June, we are happy to report, and as the Finance Minister, Dr Ato Forson, also echoed in Parliament, that we are collecting about GH¢1.3 to GH¢1.5 billion a month in addition to what we used to collect,” he said.

“So that means before the implementation, we were collecting about GH¢4 billion a month. As of June, we were collecting GH¢5.5 billion. In the month of July, we collected GH¢6.1 billion, which means that our customs reforms are working.”

Dr Sarpong attributed the improvement to the cooperation of importers, the business community and GRA staff in implementing the reforms.

GRA targets VAT collection with new reform

The Commissioner-General also announced that the Authority was preparing to introduce another major reform aimed at improving Value Added Tax (VAT) collection.

According to him, only about four out of every 10 businesses currently pay VAT, with the remaining six either not charging the tax, collecting it without remitting it to the state, or failing to comply for other reasons.

He said Parliament had recently approved a project that would allow the government to mandate the installation of devices at shops and service points to improve VAT administration and compliance.

“That is going to be a game changer in our VAT administration,” Dr Sarpong said.

He indicated that the GRA would undertake extensive engagement with businesses and the public ahead of the implementation of the new system.

Taxpayer reward scheme planned

Dr Sarpong also disclosed plans to introduce a taxpayer or consumer reward scheme to encourage customers to demand VAT receipts when purchasing goods and services.

Under the proposed initiative, consumers who collect VAT receipts could qualify for rewards from the GRA or the government.

He said further details of the scheme would be announced later.

The Commissioner-General thanked the Asantehene and other traditional leaders in the Ashanti Region for supporting the Authority’s revenue mobilisation efforts and helping to create an enabling environment for GRA officers to carry out their duties.