The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced that, beginning 1 December 2025, all bank guarantees used for customs transactions will be issued and processed exclusively through the Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS).
- •The directive affects importers, exporters, clearing agents, and all entities required to furnish bank guarantees as part of customs clearance.
- •The shift marks another step in KRA's broader digital-transformation agenda aimed at tightening compliance, improving traceability, and reducing loopholes associated with manual documentation.
- •Bank guarantees, long a critical risk-management tool in customs, have traditionally been vulnerable to delays, verification challenges, and in some cases fraud.
Routing them through iCMS centralizes validation, links the instrument directly to customs declarations, and reduces reliance on paper-based handling.
For businesses, the transition introduces both operational adjustments and potential efficiency gains. Automating guarantees could shorten turnaround times and improve visibility in the clearance chain, though firms will need to align their internal processes with iCMS workflows before the December deadline. Banks and clearing agents will also need to integrate their issuance procedures with the platform to avoid disruptions once manual submissions are phased out.
KRA framed the move as part of ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and support a more predictable trading environment. However, the success of the transition will depend on stakeholder readiness and the ability of the system to handle increased volumes without setbacks.
