Nigeria Customs, PEBEC step up push for paperless port operations
Digital reforms target cargo clearance efficiency as Customs expands paperless processes and studies port release times.
The Nigeria Customs Service and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) are strengthening collaboration to accelerate the digitalisation of Nigeria’s port operations as part of efforts to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve trade efficiency.
The development was disclosed by Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs, during a strategic meeting with Zahrah Audu, Director-General of PEBEC, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the Customs Service is working toward establishing a fully paperless port environment by expanding digital processes across cargo clearance operations.
According to him, the reforms are intended to address operational inefficiencies and support the ease of doing business at Nigeria’s ports. “The service has institutionalised regular engagements with stakeholder groups, including the American Business Council and other trade associations, to address operational concerns and strengthen cooperation within the trade ecosystem,” Adeniyi said.
He added that consultations with stakeholders enable the Customs Service to identify operational bottlenecks and gather feedback from businesses involved in port operations. Adeniyi also disclosed that the Customs Service, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, recently conducted a Time Release Study (TRS) to assess the time and cost involved in cargo clearance procedures at Nigerian ports.
The study used Tin Can Island Port as a case study and involved stakeholders including shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, licensed customs agents and financial institutions.
“We deliberately involved every segment of the port community in the exercise so that the findings would reflect the real operational environment. The report has already provided valuable insights that are guiding some of the reforms we are implementing,” Adeniyi stated.
He added that some concerns raised by stakeholders have already been addressed, while others will inform ongoing and future reforms within the Customs Service.
On the issue of 24-hour port operations, Adeniyi said the initiative requires full integration across the logistics chain.
“We once deployed officers to support round-the-clock port operations, but the effort faced challenges because other critical operators such as banks, shipping companies and terminal operators were not fully integrated into the arrangement,” he said.
Adeniyi noted that the Customs Service has already digitised several core processes, including pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication as part of its digital transformation efforts.
