ICUMS Set to Complete Major Upgrade to Enhance System Performance
The Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) is set for a major upgrade aimed at improving stability, capacity, and reliability to reduce operational disruptions at Ghana’s ports and borders.
Raymond Amaglo, Director of Operations at ICUMS, disclosed that the upgrade will be completed by the end of November 2025, promising that the reforms will deliver a seamless trade facilitation process while strengthening revenue mobilisation for government.
He gave the assurance during a high-level stakeholder forum convened in Accra by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, to address persistent challenges associated with the platform.
The Minister noted that while ICUMS has enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and curbed illicit activities since its introduction in 2020, concerns remain over operational downtimes, penalties, and unauthorised charges. She urged Ghana Link, operators of ICUMS, to honour the agreed November deadline for reforms.
The forum brought together officials from ministries, departments, and agencies, the Customs Division, freight forwarders, and private sector players. Ghana Link was tasked to demonstrate the functionality of ICUMS, outline measures taken to resolve challenges, and provide clarity on outstanding concerns.
Introduced in 2020, ICUMS consolidated customs processes by integrating valuation, classification, risk management, and payments into one digital platform. The system has been instrumental in boosting transparency and government revenue, but has faced criticism from traders over frequent downtimes and inefficiencies.
Ghana Link has, however, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to ensuring ICUMS evolves into a robust trade facilitation tool that supports both national development goals and private sector competitiveness.
With Ghana’s trade volumes projected to expand under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the efficiency of systems like ICUMS will remain vital in positioning the country as a leading regional trade hub.
