The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), in partnership with the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), announced that a compulsory Digital Marine Cargo Insurance (MCI) regime will be enforced for all incoming consignments starting 1 November 2026.

Importers and their appointed clearing agents must secure a valid MCI policy issued exclusively by an insurer licensed by the IRA before lodging any customs declaration.

The insurance certificate must be processed through the Digital MCI System and transmitted to the integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) platform; only after confirmation can a declaration be submitted.

Any consignment that arrives without a digitally verified MCI policy will be blocked from customs clearance, according to the KRA notice.

The new requirement adds a compliance step for importers and clearing agents, who must now factor the digital insurance purchase into their pre‑clearance timeline to avoid cargo detention at ports.

KRA urged all stakeholders to ensure full compliance before the November deadline to prevent trade disruptions, noting that no transitional grace period was disclosed.

The move aligns Kenya’s cargo insurance process with the broader digitalisation of trade documentation, integrating insurance verification into the centralised customs platform.