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During the 2022-23 financial year, Nairobi collected Sh8.16 billion out of the Sh36.8 generated by all the 47 counties.
- The activation of the UBP regime eliminates the issuance of multiple licenses.
Image: HANDOUT
Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson is on track to set a record as the first county boss to achieve a revenue of Sh13 billion in this concluding financial year.
The county has so far collected Sh12.1 billion as per the Revenue System, with only a few days to the end of the Financial Year 2023/2024.
The county had set a target of Sh19.9 billion, meaning there could be a shortfall in the target largely attributed to El Nino rains and floods that heavily hit the country affecting businesses within the city.
According to Sakaja, this is a milestone as it is the highest revenue to be collected since the advent of devolution in Kenya.
He has surpassed the revenue collection record set by his predecessors.
The high revenue is mainly attributed to the digitisation of the revenue streams in the county.
Speaking during a past event, Sakaja said cashless policy has enabled the county to strengthen the revenue systems which had some technical hitches.
It follows the unveiling of the Unified Business Permit (UBP) which enables customers to pay their services with ease.
During the 2022-23 financial year, Nairobi collected Sh8.16 billion out of the Sh36.8 generated by all the 47 counties.
A report by the Treasury showed that the county raised Sh7.6 billion in the 2021-22 financial year with the lowest performer managing to collect Sh46 million.
The UBP, launched early this year, combines the business, fire, food, health, and advertising licenses into one and will be available on the Nairobi City County Government’s NairobiPay Revenue service online portal.
The activation of the UBP regime eliminates the issuance of multiple licenses.
Speaking when he confirmed the UBP activation, Sakaja noted that the activation of the UBP system will enhance public service delivery by conveniently allowing Nairobi entrepreneurs to pay for their licenses online and receive an electronic unified business permit.
“We continue to make Nairobi Work, and I am glad that the UBP has now been activated as part of a deliberate effort to improve the ease of doing business parameters in this city,” he said.
“This electronic solution eliminates the issuance of multiple business permits in various service points, which has also been a key revenue leakage risk,” Sakaja added.