Abuja: The Comptroller-General (C-G) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has highlighted inadequate digital infrastructure as a significant technical challenge impeding customs operations across West and Central Africa (WCA). Adeniyi made these remarks at the opening of the fourth World Customs Organisation (WCO) Donors Conference for the West and Central African region in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the C-G emphasized that the digital gap is affecting the seamless processing of declarations and risk management in customs operations. Limited interconnectivity between national customs systems is obstructing effective information exchange. Furthermore, the region faces challenges such as insufficient technical capacity to implement advanced customs procedures, including post-clearance audits and authorized economic operator programs.
Adeniyi also pointed out the difficulties in effectively implementing technical aspects of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Ru
les of Origin and other trade facilitation instruments. The region grappled with technical barriers to implementing coordinated border management with other regulatory agencies, fragile borders, and the rapid evolution of e-commerce.
He noted that these technical challenges are hindering effective trade facilitation and revenue collection but can be addressed through targeted technical support and partnerships. The C-G cited Nigeria’s significant progress in overcoming these challenges through various interventions, offering valuable insights into the impact of targeted modernization initiatives.
The NCS has successfully deployed the indigenously developed B’Odogwu platform, enhancing digital capabilities for customs processing. Technical interfaces with other government agencies involved in trade have been established, facilitating coordinated border management. Advanced scanners are being deployed at major ports, significantly enhancing non-intrusive inspection capabilities.
According to the C-G, the NCS
has trained over 5,000 officers in specialized technical areas such as valuation, classification, rules of origin, and post-clearance audit. These interventions have resulted in reduced clearance times, a 90 percent increase in revenue collection (exceeding targets by 20 percent), and improved compliance rates.
Building on the NCS’s experience and the WCO’s regional needs assessment, the C-G identified five priority initiatives that warrant support. These include regional interconnectivity, a competency-based human resource management system, technology-driven illicit trade detection, AfCFTA implementation support, and regional single-window integration.
The C-G urged conference participants to identify practical, scalable solutions that could be sustained through local capacity building. He described the conference theme, ‘Partner mobilisation around the priority projects of the WCO’s WCA Region: A genuine pledge to meet the modernisation goals and performance targets of member customs administrations,’ as
apt, reflecting a shared commitment to transforming customs operations.
In his remarks, Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, highlighted the conference’s alignment with government efforts to mobilize resources for programs and activities aimed at enhancing customs operations in the region. The conference provided a platform for the region to highlight its needs and reinforce its commitment to the effective and transparent use of donor resources.
Mr. Ian Sanders, the Secretary of the WCO, represented by Mr. Ebenezer Tafili, Deputy Director of the Capacity Building Directorate, stated that the conference’s primary objective is to strengthen the network and dialogue between the WCO customs administrations and development partners. It also aims to raise awareness within the region’s customs administrations about the priorities, initiatives, and approaches of development partners and coordinate the development of regional and national project initiatives and mobilize f
unding for their implementation.