ASYCUDA World in Zambia

What the system does

The Zambia Revenue Authority uses the ASYCUDA platform for customs clearance, according to the US International Trade Administration guide last published on 23 March 2026 ¹.

The Customs and Excise Act defines an entry as the presentation of a completed declaration. Where direct trader input applies, the entry includes registration on the Customs Computer System ⁵.

For goods in transit, the clearing agent enters a Form CE20 declaration in ASYCUDAWorld. When checks at the exit border are in order, the transit is acquitted in ASYCUDAWorld and the goods may leave Zambia ³. ZRA says an ASYCUDA Processing Fee is payable right after a transit declaration is made. The page gives no amount ⁶.

History and single window

In a presentation dated 7 May 2019, Permanent Secretary Kayula Siame of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry said UNCTAD had supported the upgrade of Zambia's customs system from ASYCUDA PLUS to ASYCUDA World. UNCTAD was still supporting an upgrade to a more advanced version ².

The same presentation said Zambia was building its Single Window on ASYCUDA World. The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency worked in real time on ASYCUDA ².

In August 2022 the ZRA Assistant Commissioner at Mwami said new computers would connect border agency systems to the Zambia Electronic Single Window and ASYCUDAWorld ⁷.

An undated UNCTAD ASYCUDA leaflet says 755,000 metric tons of copper exported from Zambia in 2018 were tracked and monitored by the ASYCUDAWorld system. It describes a mineral value chain monitoring system with ZRA and other agencies ⁸.

Payments through the system

Electronic payment began in 2014, according to the 2019 Ministry of Commerce presentation. It said 19 commercial banks and three of four mobile operators offered electronic payment. As at March 2019, 96% of ZRA payments were electronic ².

• Payment of self-assessed taxes triggers customs intervention on an import declaration ⁹
• A release order follows when the declaration is correct ⁹
• If the declaration is wrong, the system generates an additional assessment and penalties, which must be paid before release ⁹

Upgrade and stabilisation projects

On 27 July 2023 TradeMark Africa reported that the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry signed an agreement with UNCTAD to modernise customs procedures. The ASYCUDA support to ZRA was valued at €548,000. The work covered harmonising clearance at all customs offices, automating remaining processes and a more user-friendly ASYCUDA World for the private sector. It was part of the Zambia Border Posts Upgrading Project at Chirundu, Mwami and Nakonde, funded under the 11th European Development Fund and valued at €6.8 million ¹⁰.

On 16 December 2025 ZRA, UNCTAD and TradeMark Africa signed an agreement for an ASYCUDAWorld stabilisation project. It is funded by the UK Government, implemented by UNCTAD and set to run for 18 months. ZRA Commissioner General Dingani Banda said the project would restore system stability. UNCTAD regional coordinator Khauhelo Mawana said the current challenges were well within the full control of ZRA ⁴.

Regional role

ZRA officers went to Windhoek from 24 to 28 July 2023 to support the Namibia Revenue Agency on ASYCUDA World. The World Customs Organization said the work covered self-assessment, e-payments, risk profiles and selectivity, valuation control and the Central Processing Centre. It followed a Namibian benchmarking mission to Zambia in April 2023 ¹¹.