The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi PhD, has commissioned a Data Analytics Centre and inspected the newly installed Drive Through Scanner at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
Speaking during the commissioning of the facility on Tuesday at the Apapa Customs Command, Adeniyi emphasised the central role of data in modern Customs administration, describing it as the real currency of international business and a critical tool for effective communication and cooperation among global institutions.
According to him, credible data remains the backbone of the Service’s risk management architecture, noting that the ability to participate effectively in global trade facilitation initiatives depends largely on the availability of reliable data to support decision-making and strengthen collaboration.
The Customs boss explained that virtually every project undertaken by the Service through information and communication technology is driven by data, stressing that programmes such as the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme, risk indicators, etc rely on accurate and timely information.
He further noted that Customs organisations across the world are increasingly adopting data-driven systems to enhance efficiency and improve compliance, adding that the newly commissioned analytics centre would play a vital role in strengthening the Service’s operational intelligence.
Adeniyi commended the Service’s ICT department and the Apapa Customs Command for their efforts in establishing the facility, expressing confidence that the intelligence generated from the analysis of data would significantly improve operational efficiency and decision-making.
He also urged officers to make effective use of the facility, while encouraging stakeholders and partner government agencies to trust the Service, assuring them that decisions taken by the Customs administration would be guided by intelligence generated from data analysis at the centre.
Similarly, the CGC’ also commissioned the clinic domiciled in the new two-storey building at the Command, as part of ongoing efforts to improve the health and welfare of officers and personnel of the Service.
He noted that the provision of quality healthcare facilities remains essential to ensuring that officers remain physically and mentally fit to carry out their responsibilities effectively in demanding operational environments.
During the visit, Adeniyi also inspected the newly installed Drive Through Scanner at the APM Terminals, which is expected to significantly enhance cargo inspection processes at the port.
The scanner system is designed to phase out manual documentation by automatically connecting scanned cargo images with electronic declarations in real time, thereby streamlining the clearance process, improving accuracy and strengthening security checks.
According to Customs officials, the technology will drastically reduce cargo dwell time at the port while minimising the need for physical examination of consignments and improving the detection of prohibited items.
Speaking earlier, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba described the new facility as the beginning of a new era of intelligence-driven Customs operations and improved welfare for officers.
He explained that the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Arena, was designed with a futuristic and data-driven approach to border security, noting that it would house key operational units including a state-of-the-art Analytics Centre of Excellence, the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), the Command’s clinic and other strategic offices.
Oshoba noted that the infrastructure reflects the vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs to deploy modern technology and analytics to combat smuggling, strengthen national security and facilitate legitimate trade.
He added that the project represents a success story of the Customs-PACT (Partnership for Cooperation in Trade) initiative championed by the CGC, while expressing appreciation to stakeholders and partners whose collaboration, he said, made the rapid transformation possible.