26th January 2026
Nairobi, Kenya.
Today, the WCO ESA Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) joined the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in the opening ceremony of the third and last working group (WG3) of the Master Trainer Programme (MTP) on Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) for West Africa. The programme is a partnership between WCO and JICA, which commenced today in Nairobi, Kenya, and is expected to conclude on 30th January 2026. The programme aims at building sustainable and autonomous training capacity in critical Customs domains, including Customs Valuation, HS Classification and Risk Management.
The MTP on GEOINT focuses on the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a technology used to create, manage, analyze, and visualize data linked to specific geographic locations. GIS enhances Customs enforcement by improving mapping and visualization, enabling spatial analysis, strengthening data management, and supporting effective communication and decision-making, particularly in risk management and border surveillance.
To date, the MTP has developed 210 Master Trainers across Africa and the Pacific Islands, several of whom have become WCO Accredited Experts. Between 2018 and 2024, Master Trainers in Africa delivered training to more than 58,000 Customs and private sector stakeholders, demonstrating the programme’s significant regional impact.
The GEOINT MTP is being hosted by the KRA, with participating countries including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. During the opening ceremony, KRA commended WCO and JICA for their long-standing partnership, highlighting their contribution to regional capacity building, trade facilitation, and Customs modernization. The growing importance of Geospatial Intelligence in protecting society, addressing smuggling, managing fragile borders, and strengthening coordinated risk management was emphasized. The participants are expected to cascade GEOINT expertise to 14 other African countries, and to use this platform as a networking space for national partnerships in relation to enforcement.
#WCO #JICA #KRA #