The Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Abu Martin Kanneh, has urged clearing and forwarding agencies and shipping companies to strengthen cooperation with the Authority and support the Government’s domestic revenue mobilization drive.
He made the call during a stakeholder engagement held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to address challenges affecting customs operations and identify practical measures to improve efficiency, compliance and revenue collection.
The meeting brought together senior NRA officials and representatives of clearing, forwarding and shipping agencies to discuss delays in cargo clearance, tax compliance, payment verification, the identification of licensed clearing agents and other operational concerns affecting trade facilitation.
Commissioner General Abu Martin Kanneh said the engagement was convened to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to openly present their concerns and work with the NRA on practical and sustainable solutions.
He encouraged the agencies to report NRA-related challenges through the appropriate channels to ensure that complaints are promptly investigated and addressed. He also reminded them of their responsibility to fulfil their tax obligations and contribute meaningfully to the mobilization of revenue needed to finance national development.
Abu Martin Kanneh underscored the importance of collaboration between the NRA and private-sector operators, noting that efficient customs procedures are essential to improving trade, strengthening compliance and increasing Government revenue.
The Commissioner of the Customs Services Department, Tennyson Bio, called on the agencies to support efforts aimed at improving the efficiency of cargo-clearance processes. He also urged them to respond promptly to NRA requests concerning revenue performance and other customs-related matters.
President of the Clearing and Forwarding Agencies, Mohamed D. Salia, announced measures to ensure that all recognized clearing agencies obtain official identification cards. He said the move would help address concerns over the use of counterfeit identification cards and prevent unauthorized individuals from operating as legitimate clearing agents.
Representatives of the clearing, forwarding and shipping agencies welcomed the engagement and pledged greater cooperation with the NRA. However, they raised several operational concerns requiring urgent attention.
Among the issues highlighted were delays in payment verification, challenges associated with transit and scanning procedures, inadequate information and communications technology services, problems with the Free Trade Network and the need for specialized industry training.
The agencies also called for clearer information on applicable duties to enable importers to properly understand their financial obligations before beginning the clearance process.
They maintained that addressing those challenges would reduce unnecessary delays, improve transparency, lower operational costs and strengthen confidence in the customs-clearance system.
The engagement ended with a shared commitment by the NRA and industry stakeholders to deepen collaboration, improve customs operations and support the Government’s revenue mobilization agenda.
