KRA eTIMS and IFMIS Integration: What Government Suppliers Need to Know
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), in collaboration with the National Treasury, has implemented an integration between the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) and the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
Announced on 31 August 2026, the integration introduces automated tax invoice validation into the government payment process. It affects businesses supplying goods and services to national and county government entities.
The objective is to improve transparency, streamline invoice verification and strengthen tax compliance in government transactions.
How Does the eTIMS–IFMIS Integration Work?
eTIMS is KRA’s electronic invoicing platform used by businesses to generate and transmit tax invoices.
IFMIS is the government’s financial management system used for public procurement, budgeting, accounting and payment processing.
The integration connects the two systems to allow tax invoices submitted by government suppliers to be checked against records held by KRA before proceeding through the IFMIS payment workflow.
This means suppliers must ensure that their invoices are properly generated and recorded in KRA’s invoicing system.
What Are the New Requirements for Government Suppliers?
According to KRA’s public notice dated 31 August 2026, suppliers conducting business with government entities should observe the following requirements:
Valid Electronic Tax Invoices
Suppliers must generate valid electronic tax invoices for goods and services supplied to government institutions before submitting them for payment processing through IFMIS.
Consistency of Invoice Details
The information on invoices submitted to government entities must correspond precisely with the invoices generated and recorded in KRA’s systems.
Suppliers should pay attention to:
- Supplier KRA PIN.
- Invoice number.
- Invoice date.
- Description of goods or services.
- Quantities supplied.
- Taxable amounts and applicable VAT.
- Total invoice value.
Any discrepancies may affect invoice validation.
Tax Compliance
KRA encourages suppliers to regularly verify their tax compliance status and ensure that their taxpayer information and tax records are accurate and up to date.
Important Clarification: Both TIMS and eTIMS Invoices Are Accepted
Following the initial announcement, KRA issued a clarification in October 2026 confirming that the integration accommodates invoices generated through both TIMS and eTIMS.
This means government suppliers are not restricted to eTIMS invoices alone. Suppliers using either system can continue submitting valid invoices, subject to the applicable validation requirements.
The clarification is particularly important for businesses that still operate through the earlier TIMS platform.
What Happens If an Invoice Fails Validation?
An invoice that does not correspond with the records held in KRA’s systems may fail the automated verification process.
Suppliers should therefore reconcile their invoices before submitting payment claims through IFMIS.
Where discrepancies occur, businesses should review the invoice details and correct any errors through the appropriate invoicing procedures.
It is also important to understand that successful invoice validation does not automatically guarantee immediate payment. Invoices must still pass through the applicable government payment approval and processing procedures.
How Should Government Suppliers Prepare?
Businesses supplying government institutions should:
- Ensure they are properly onboarded on the applicable electronic invoicing system.
- Generate valid TIMS or eTIMS invoices.
- Verify invoice details before submission.
- Maintain accurate KRA taxpayer information.
- Reconcile invoices with their accounting and sales records.
- Monitor invoice validation and payment progress through the relevant government systems.
Businesses using automated accounting systems can also explore KRA’s system-to-system integration options.
Need Assistance with eTIMS and KRA Compliance?
We provide professional tax consultancy and eTIMS compliance assistance to businesses in Kenya. Contact us for assistance with your tax compliance requirements.
