News / DHL set to digitise African customs processes in bid to boost trade

© Alina Vytiuk

DHL is digitalising its African customs processes as part of a wider effort to remove what has been one of the major hurdles to trade growth within the continent, and has already seen a marked reduction in processing times.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event in South Africa that marked the release of its Global Connectedness Index, DHL Supply Chain’s Middle East and Africa operations CEO, Orkun Saruhanoglu, said robust customs solutions could “unlock” Africa.

“What we need is concrete, robust customs solutions and what we’re trying to do as a next level is to digitalise these customs procedures and all of our transactions in the continent,” Mr Saruhanoglu told The Loadstar.

“We have seen in developed markets that once you start to digitalise all these processes, it gets easier for not only us, but for the authorities to check that documents are compliant and then to approve them.”

Customs has long been a bane for not only for bringing goods into the continent, but for moving them around internally, with one source telling The Loadstar that a lot of the issues revolved around lack of trust between governments.

Another source attending the event claimed government-on-government fighting tended to pop up around the time of elections, but between these there was often improved relations and easier flows, which highlighted when systemic issues lay.

“We think that the more we can digitalise the customs systems and processes and those surrounding the import and export of goods, the easier and the quicker it will become to trade with and within Africa,” continued Mr Saruhanoglu.

Pockets of progress are being seen in the continent, with DHL Global Forwarding Middle East & Africa CEO Amadou Diallo noting customs processing times into Kenya had dropped from 16 to six days – with three days the next target.