By Barnabas Esiet.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has highlighted the transformative impact of the Nigeria Customs Service’s B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System on the country’s trade environment.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual Conference and Award Ceremony of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), Adeniyi noted that B’Odogwu has significantly improved the efficiency and transparency of customs operations in Nigeria.
Adeniyi stated that B’Odogwu has reduced clearance times, with some stakeholders completing processes within 4 to 8 hours when documentation is clean and compliant.
He attributed this to the system’s ability to integrate key processes, including Form M, PAAR, Single Goods Declaration, manifests, duty payments, and cargo release, into a single web-based platform.
The CGC also highlighted the system’s improved risk management capabilities, which enable the identification of low-risk and high-risk shipments.
This, he said, allows compliant traders to enjoy faster clearance while Customs focuses attention where it is truly needed.
Adeniyi acknowledged that the implementation of B’Odogwu had not been without challenges, including delays in transmitting SONCAP certificates and intermittent system slowdowns.
However, he noted that the NCS had addressed these challenges through continuous upgrades, stakeholder engagement, and ongoing training.
The CGC urged maritime journalists to play a crucial role in promoting the understanding and adoption of B’Odogwu.
He emphasised the importance of accurate interpretation and reporting of the system’s benefits and challenges.
Adeniyi expressed confidence that B’Odogwu would continue to transform Nigeria’s trade environment, making it faster, more transparent, and aligned with global standards.
He thanked stakeholders for their support and cooperation in implementing the system.
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