Customs, PEBEC Move to Deepen Digital Reforms at Nigerian Ports

Customs, PEBEC Move to Deepen Digital Reforms at Nigerian Ports

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have renewed efforts to accelerate digital reforms at the nation’s ports as part of a broader plan to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve trade efficiency.

This followed a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, held at the Customs House in Abuja.

Speaking during the meeting, Adeniyi reaffirmed the commitment of the Customs Service to establishing a fully paperless port system, stressing that digital reforms are critical to repositioning Nigeria as a competitive global trade hub.

He said the Service has institutionalised regular consultations with stakeholders across the trade ecosystem, including the American Business Council and other industry associations, to identify operational bottlenecks and improve service delivery.

According to him, such engagements allow the Service to receive direct feedback from businesses that interact with Customs at Nigerian ports and help guide ongoing reforms.

The Customs boss also disclosed that the Service, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, recently conducted a Time Release Study (TRS) to evaluate the time and cost required to clear goods through Nigerian ports.

The study, which used Tin Can Island Port in Lagos as a case study, involved shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, licensed customs agents and financial institutions.

Adeniyi said the findings of the study were compiled in a report publicly launched on January 26, 2026, noting that the insights generated are already guiding some of the reforms currently being implemented by the Service.

“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,” he said.

On the proposed 24-hour port operations, Adeniyi explained that the initiative can only succeed if all key players within the logistics chain are fully integrated into the process.

He recalled that a previous attempt by the Service to support round-the-clock operations faced challenges because critical operators such as banks, shipping companies and terminal operators were not fully aligned with the arrangement.

The CGC added that most core Customs processes — including pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication — have already been digitised, but delays still occur when some operators rely on physical documentation.

He also highlighted ongoing investments in scanning technology and information and communication technology infrastructure to strengthen risk-based cargo management and reduce dependence on physical cargo examination.

Adeniyi noted that development partners such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization have encouraged Nigeria to expand the use of non-intrusive inspection technology in line with global best practices.

Earlier, Audu said PEBEC is implementing a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme aimed at addressing operational challenges identified in its Business Facilitation Compliance Report released in November 2025.

She explained that the programme is designed to improve efficiency across business-facing ministries, departments and agencies by strengthening collaboration and removing administrative bottlenecks affecting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

As part of the initiative, she said PEBEC conducted a three-day operational assessment at ports in Lagos in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority, where officials observed cargo-handling processes from vessel arrival to cargo exit and consulted widely with regulators and private-sector stakeholders.

“The exercise enabled us to identify key operational challenges affecting port efficiency and to develop practical recommendations for improvement,” Audu said.

Among the issues highlighted were the need to strengthen joint vessel boarding by regulatory agencies, improve coordination of cargo inspections and enhance the use of technology in port operations.

Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said vessel arrival schedules already provide sufficient information for effective operational planning at the ports.

According to her, efficient use of such information would allow Customs to deploy personnel strategically rather than keeping officers stationed at terminals while waiting for vessel arrivals.

“The concept of 24-hour port operations should focus on smarter deployment of personnel based on vessel schedules, not merely extending working hours,” she said.

Adebakin also reaffirmed the Service’s readiness to address operational concerns raised through the PEBEC reporting platform, noting that sustained collaboration between the two institutions would help improve port efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s business environment.

The Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade further highlighted trade facilitation tools introduced by the Service to accelerate cargo clearance for trusted traders, including the Authorised Economic Programme, Advance Ruling Systems and the One-Stop-Shop initiative aimed at enhancing trade efficiency in Nigeria.