Tanzania cracks down on tax evasion at inland container depots, eyes 24-hour operations to boost revenue

“While we value ICD operators as key partners in trade facilitation and revenue collection, compliance with tax regulations is non-negotiable,” he said.

Mr Mwenda noted that TRA will now hold quarterly meetings with ICD operators to listen to concerns, address operational bottlenecks, and highlight areas of non-compliance.

He urged depot owners to take a more active role in daily decision-making and ensure responsibilities are delegated when they are absent.

To improve efficiency and revenue, TRA is also rolling out a strategy to enable ICDs to operate 24 hours a day. The plan includes increasing TRA staffing and urging depot owners to upgrade infrastructure for round-the-clock operations.

Faster cargo clearance, he said, will ease congestion at the Port of Dar es Salaam and other entry points, boosting the country’s competitiveness against regional ports.

“We view ICD owners as important partners. If you grow, revenue will rise; if you collapse, we are affected too. We will work closely to achieve shared goals,” Mr Mwenda said.

Chairman of the Association of Private Inland Container Depot Owners, Mr Melleck Shangwe, welcomed the engagement, noting that dry ports currently contribute about 52 per cent of annual customs revenue.

He said this could rise to 60 per cent next year if operational challenges are resolved.

Key concerns include inconsistent documentation procedures between the Tanzania Ports Authority and TRA, which create delays and confusion in cargo handling.

“TPA says documents must be submitted before cargo arrives, while TRA says cargo should arrive before documents. We request a unified procedure,” Mr Shangwe said.