The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) says it remains committed to stabilising the upgraded ASYCUDA World Customs system following operational challenges experienced by clearing agents at Walvis Bay Harbour.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement with clearing agents in Walvis Bay, NamRA's Head of Excise, Willbroad Poniso, said the ASYCUDA World Version 4.4.1 upgrade, rolled out nationwide on 5 May this year, forms part of NamRA's efforts to create a fully digital, automated and transparent customs enforcement.
Poniso described Walvis Bay Harbour as a strategic gateway for Namibia's international trade and regional logistics operations, adding that customs modernisation can only succeed through strong partnerships between customs officials and the trading community.
He acknowledged concerns raised by the clearing agents, including system slowness, intermittent network instability, functional gaps in processing models, difficulties with exit note generation and delays related to user adaptation to the new system.
According to Poniso, the challenges have affected cargo clearance timelines and business operations at the port.
However, he stressed that the difficulties are common during large-scale system upgrades and should not be viewed as a failure but rather as part of the transition process.
"NamRA remains firmly committed to stabilising the system and ensuring that the intended benefits are fully realised. To this end, a structured stabilisation and support roadmap has been activated, focusing on enhancing system performance and reliability. Addressing identified functional gaps, strengthening technical support and user assistance, and improving operational processes and system integration. In addition, ongoing optimisation efforts are being implemented to ensure faster processing, improve responsiveness, and greater operational stability, particularly in high-volume environments such as Walvis Bay Harbour."
He further called on stakeholders to continue engaging constructively, comply with outdated customs procedures and actively participate in training initiatives.