The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is seeking to improve cargo clearance and turnaround time by expanding the use of risk-based assessment, intelligence and technology in its enforcement operations.
The Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Gambo Aliyu, disclosed this when executives of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) visited the command.
Aliyu said the Service was conscious of the need to strengthen enforcement without creating unnecessary bottlenecks for legitimate businesses and cargo owners.
He explained that the deployment of modern technology and embedded risk-assessment systems was critical to achieving this balance, as it allows Customs officers to concentrate enforcement attention on high-risk shipments while facilitating compliant cargo.
According to him, the objective is to ensure that enforcement activities do not distort the flow of trade, particularly as Nigeria seeks to improve cargo throughput and reduce turnaround time at its ports.
The Comptroller said the NCS was deliberately moving away from analogue approaches, which he described as cumbersome and increasingly inconsistent with international Customs practices.
He noted that intelligence was a major component of the Service’s enforcement strategy, but stressed that it was not the only approach being employed.
Aliyu said Customs was deploying a combination of intelligence, technology, modern tools and techniques, as well as collaboration with relevant agencies and stakeholders, to strengthen interdiction operations.
He said the administration was constantly evolving its operational strategies to remain in tune with global developments and emerging challenges in international trade.
The Comptroller also linked the reforms to Nigeria’s preparations for increased trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He said higher trade volumes under AfCFTA would require Nigeria to have efficient Customs systems capable of facilitating legitimate commerce while maintaining effective enforcement.
Aliyu stressed the importance of harmonising Customs processes across African countries to create a seamless interface that would support cross-border trade.
He cited the international engagements of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, including visits to Customs administrations in East Africa, as part of efforts to study different systems and position Nigeria strategically within the emerging continental trade framework.
The Comptroller further disclosed that the NCS was expanding its approach to collaboration by moving from traditional inter-agency cooperation towards strategic partnerships.
He described the engagement with AMJON as an example of such partnership, noting that stronger relationships with stakeholders could support the Service’s enforcement and trade facilitation objectives.
Aliyu reaffirmed the commitment of the FOU Zone ‘A’ to intelligence-led, technology-supported and innovative enforcement, while ensuring that legitimate trade remains unhindered.