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From February 1, 2026, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will begin deploying an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system to enhance import clearance at the country’s entry points, starting with the Tema Port.
The new system, known as the AI-powered Publican Trade Solution, is expected to increase customs revenue by between 40 and 45 per cent, while significantly improving the speed, efficiency and transparency of cargo processing. It is also aimed at curbing long-standing abuses associated with the use of import declaration forms (IDFs).
According to the 2026 Budget, between April 2020 and August 2025, over 525,000 IDF transactions valued at approximately $83 billion were processed through the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS). However, only 10,440 of those transactions were linked to actual imports. During the same period, an estimated $31 billion was transferred abroad without corresponding goods, while under-declared imports valued at about GH¢76 billion resulted in revenue losses of nearly GH¢11 billion.
To address these challenges, the new system will 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 under-valuation, misclassification and other trade malpractices without imposing additional costs on importers, while facilitating legitimate trade and safeguarding government revenue.
Speaking to the media in Accra last Friday, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, said the ICUMS, introduced in June 2020, was intended to harmonise cross-border trade processes, reduce transaction costs and boost domestic revenue mobilisation. While acknowledging improvements in trade facilitation and operational efficiency, he noted that persistent challenges such as undervaluation, misclassification, smuggling and falsification of trade data continued to undermine customs controls.
“These discrepancies highlight the urgent need for an advanced, technology-driven inspection and analytics framework to strengthen compliance and close revenue leakages at the ports,” Mr Ampem said.
He explained that the government had therefore approved the deployment of the 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 against reliable global data sources, and flag high-risk or fraudulent transactions within minutes,” he stated.
Mr Ampem assured importers and freight forwarders that the new technology would not delay cargo clearance or increase the cost of doing business for compliant operators.
“Those who comply fully have nothing to fear, but from February, all importers must be prepared to pay the correct duties on what they bring into the country,” he added.
The Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, described the introduction of the AI-powered system as a decisive shift in the authority’s approach to revenue assurance and customs compliance.
He said persistent gaps under the ICUMS regime, particularly in valuation, classification and data integrity, made it necessary to adopt a more intelligent and predictive system to support customs officers beyond manual checks.
“Customs operations today are driven by data, and if the data is distorted, then the outcomes will distorted as well,” he noted.
Mr Sarpong explained that the new system would give officers instant access to credible international trade benchmarks, allowing 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.
He added that early results from the pilot phase had already demonstrated the system’s effectiveness, with the recovery of additional revenue from a small sample of transactions highlighting the scale of potential leakages.
Mr Sarpong reaffirmed the GRA’s commitment to deploying the technology in a transparent, fair and business-friendly manner.
“If you are doing the right thing, this system will actually make your clearance faster and more predictable,” he said, adding that the authority would continue engaging stakeholders ahead of full implementation to address concerns and build trust.
“Our goal is not to punish trade, but to protect the integrity of Ghana’s revenue system while facilitating legitimate commerce,” he stressed.
