The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, has revealed on Monday that his organisation has reduced cargo clearance time from 43 hours, through the deployment of state-of-the-art technology.
Adeniyi spoke at the World Customs Day celebration, in Abuja, where many officers and men of the NCS received awards for meritorious service.
According to him, the service would pursue excellence in service- delivery that would result in a higher revenue generation and a more-efficient trade facilitation, in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy.
His words, “In pursuit of operational efficiency, the Service has made significant strides in modernizing our processes and procedures.
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“Our commitment to efficiency is evidenced by several key achievements over the years. Notably, the successful implementation of the Advanced Ruling System, providing binding decisions on classification and valuation before shipment arrival, thereby reducing clearance delays and disputes, is one of the recent references to our efforts to deliver efficiency.
“Moreover, the remarkable success of our Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which has achieved an average release time of 43 hours for certified companies, representing a 66.9% reduction in cargo clearance time is another recent instance.
“Over the years, the Service has modernised its processes to make the trading experience soothing for Nigerians.
“Late last year, we announced the indigenous development and deployment of our customs clearance platform, ‘B’Odogwu’, which has already processed transactions worth billions in revenue within its pilot phase.”
Going forward, the Customs boss said that the NCS would continue to improve on its efforts on ensuring efficiency and the security of the nation, two key factors to guarantee prosperity.
According to him, “Looking ahead, guided by this year’s theme “Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity,” our strategic vision aligns seamlessly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s policy direction and global customs best practices, focusing on transformative initiatives that will revolutionize trade facilitation and enforcement.
“The nationwide trade modernization deployment, comprehensive AEO program implementation, enhanced technology-driven risk management, and the groundbreaking establishment of the Nigeria Customs Service University for Trade and Technology will serve as additional key performance indicators as we evaluate our achievements at the end of the year.
“As we commemorate International Customs Day, we renew our pledge to excellence in customs administration, united in our mission to forge a more secure and prosperous Nigeria through efficient service delivery.”
In his keynote address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Chris Musa, said there could not be security in the country without the Customs Service.
He pledged the collaboration of the Nigerian Armed Forces, a synergy, the Army General noted, was key to the successful delivery on Customs’ mandate.
Gen. Musa said, “Security cannot be achieved without the Customs because you cover every aspect of human life.
“The Customs Service plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth flow of goods across borders, while protecting our country from illicit trade, smuggling and other threats.
“Your unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism is commendable and serves as a shining example for all.
“In this ever evolving landscape of global trade and security challenges, the Nigeria Customs Service has consistently demonstrated its adaptability, resilience and innovation.
“Your dedication to embracing new technologies, implementing best practices and forging international cooperation has been instrumental to enhancing efficiency in customs operations across the country.
“As we move forward, let’s continue to work in synergy with other agencies, strengthening our partnership, sharing knowledge and leveraging on our collective expertise to further improve customs processes, enhance security measures to ensure the security of our nation.”
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