By John Lee.
Iraqi customs revenues are expected to reach 4 trillion dinars ($3.05 billion) by the end of 2025, up from around 800 billion dinars ($610 million) before the introduction of the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) system in 2022.
The director-general of the General Customs Authority, Thamer Qasim (pictured), attributed the rise largely to the rollout of ASYCUDA, speaking on the Al-Mashhad programme as reported by the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Qasim said revenues grew from around 1 trillion dinars ($763 million) in 2023 to approximately 2 trillion dinars ($1.53 billion) by mid-2024, following ASYCUDA's deployment. By July 2026, revenues had already exceeded 2.6 trillion dinars ($1.98 billion), matching the full-year total for 2025, with the year-end projection now set at 4 trillion dinars ($3.05 billion).
He noted that ASYCUDA, which is used in more than 100 countries, has eliminated paper-based processing and that 70 percent of goods transactions are now completed within 24 hours. The system is currently deployed across all of Iraq except the Kurdistan Region, though Qasim said both the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government are committed to extending it to Kurdish border crossings by the end of the year. He described informal crossings in the Kurdistan Region as an ongoing challenge for both administrations.
Qasim also noted that trade volumes through Iraq's ports had fallen by 50 percent due to the effects of war, with traffic redirected through the Trebil, Waleed and Rabia border crossings. He added that ASYCUDA assists in detecting money-laundering activities, and that responsibility for declaring the value of imported goods lies with traders and importers.
(Source: Iraqi News Agency)
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