AYV News, October 7, 2026
The National Revenue Authority (NRA) has intensified preparations for the rollout of ASYCUDA World at the Jendema Border Crossing Point in SorogbemaChiefdom, Pujehun District, with engagements held with sector heads, security agencies and other stakeholders.
The engagement, held on October 5, 2026, is aimed at strengthening cooperation among agencies operating at the border, facilitating legitimate trade, improving customs operations and enhancing revenue mobilisation for national development.
Speaking at the meeting, NRA Customs Manager at Jendema, Munjiru I. I. Kallon, said cooperation among security agencies and community leaders had remained strong since the NRA began operations at the border.
He explained that the introduction of ASYCUDA World would automate the processing of three major customs regimes — Import, Export and Transit.
Mr. Kallon said the stakeholder engagement was critical to informing security agencies about the rollout and securing their cooperation for a smooth implementation of the system.
He also highlighted a number of developments at the Jendema border, including the recruitment of six local staff, the anticipated deployment of additional commercial banks to strengthen accountability, and the posting of the border’s first female staff member, Mrs. Kumba S. Kallon.
He further expressed appreciation to NRA senior management for providing a new vehicle and office facility for the border post.
According to Mr. Kallon, the NRA remains committed to modernising its operations, improving service delivery and effectively fulfilling its mandate.
ASYCUDA to Strengthen Revenue Collection
In a technical presentation, Philip Dumbuya, Supervisor at the ASYCUDA Unit within the Customs Services Department, said the system would support infrastructure development by strengthening customs revenue collection, which remains a major source of government funding.
He said the trade data generated through ASYCUDA would also enable Government to analyse the types of goods entering Sierra Leone and use the information to support decision-making.
Mr. Dumbuya noted that ASYCUDA is currently used in more than 90 countries. In Sierra Leone, ASYCUDA++ was introduced at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in 2009 and became operational in 2010 before being upgraded to the web-based ASYCUDA World system in 2017.
He said ASYCUDA World would facilitate faster customs clearance while maintaining an audit trail for between 10 and 15 years and providing enhanced security features.
Mr. Dumbuya disclosed that the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) had engaged professional hackers to conduct a security assessment of the system.
The system, he explained, connects relevant agencies through dedicated modules and automatically routes information according to each agency’s functions.
Implementation requires software installation, role-based training and basic equipment, including printers and scanners for document processing.
He added that the ASYCUDA World dashboard provides real-time visibility of import and export processes, allowing users to monitor different stages of transactions from various locations.
The system also incorporates backup energy sources at server facilities, supports revenue collection and records user activity to enhance accountability.
Under the new system, customs declarations will be entered through a self-assessment process, which is expected to improve data accuracy compared to manual processing.
ASYCUDA World will also use a risk-based selection mechanism to identify consignments requiring examination, enabling customs officials to focus resources on higher-risk transactions while facilitating legitimate trade.
