The National Revenue Authority has started consultations with stakeholders ahead of the planned introduction of the ASYCUDA World customs system at the Jendema Border Crossing Point in Pujehun District.

Table Of Content

Three customs regimes to be automated
System features outlined
Security and implementation requirements

The engagement, held on October 5, 2026, brought together sector heads, security agencies, community leaders and other stakeholders at the crossing in Sorogbema Chiefdom. The NRA said the discussions were intended to build cooperation for the system’s implementation and support the modernisation of customs operations.

According to the authority, the engagement is also aimed at facilitating legitimate trade and improving revenue mobilisation through stronger coordination among agencies operating at the border.

Three customs regimes to be automated

Munjiru I. I. Kallon, the NRA Customs Manager at Jendema, said ASYCUDA World would process the three principal customs regimes—Import, Export and Transit—automatically.

He described the stakeholder engagement as part of preparations to explain the rollout to security agencies and other groups whose cooperation will be needed when the system is implemented. The NRA has not announced a date for the system to go live at Jendema.

Kallon also said cooperation between security agencies and community leaders at the border had remained strong since the NRA began operating there. He listed several developments at the post, including the recruitment of six local staff members in support of the host community and the deployment of Mrs. Kumba S. Kallon as the border post’s first female staff member.

Other commercial banks are expected to be deployed at the border to strengthen accountability, according to Kallon. He also expressed appreciation for a new vehicle and office facility provided to support NRA operations at the crossing.

System features outlined

Philip Dumbuya, a supervisor in the ASYCUDA Unit within the Customs Services Department, presented an overview of the system and its expected functions.

Dumbuya said ASYCUDA World supports customs revenue collection, which he identified as a major source of government funding for infrastructure development. He also said data produced by the system can help analyse goods entering the country and provide information for economic planning and decision-making.

Among the features outlined were faster customs clearance, an audit trail retained for between 10 and 15 years, and security measures for customs transactions and information. The system’s dashboard displays the different stages of import and export processes, allowing users to monitor transactions and follow customs procedures.

Dumbuya said the platform can be accessed from different locations, provides real-time information and records user activities. It also links relevant agencies through dedicated modules and routes information automatically according to each agency’s functions and responsibilities.

He added that declarations are entered through a self-assessment process, while risk-based selection is used to identify consignments that require examination.

Security and implementation requirements

Dumbuya reported that the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation had engaged professional hackers to assess the system’s security and resilience. He presented the assessment as part of efforts to test the platform’s protection against security risks.

Implementation at the border will require software installation, training based on users’ roles and basic equipment, including printers and scanners. Server facilities use backup energy sources, according to the presentation.

ASYCUDA is used in more than 90 countries, Dumbuya said. In Sierra Leone, ASYCUDA++ was introduced at Queen Elizabeth II Quay in 2009, went live there in 2010 and was upgraded to the web-based ASYCUDA World system in 2017.