The Nigeria Customs Service and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have strengthened collaboration aimed at accelerating digital reforms and improving efficiency in Nigeria’s port operations.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a strategic meeting with the Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria recently.
Adeniyi said the partnership is focused on eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks through the deployment of technology, with the goal of establishing a fully paperless port environment and positioning Nigeria as a competitive hub for global trade.
According to him, the Service has institutionalised regular engagements with stakeholder groups, including the American Business Council Nigeria and other trade associations, to address operational challenges within the trade ecosystem.
He also revealed that the Customs Service, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, recently conducted a Time Release Study at Tin Can Island Port to assess the time and cost involved in clearing cargo at Nigerian ports.
The study involved key stakeholders such as shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, licensed customs agents and financial institutions. Its findings were compiled in a report launched on January 26, 2026, providing insights that are already guiding ongoing reforms.
Adeniyi noted that while most core Customs processes – including; pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication – have been digitised, delays persist due to continued reliance on physical documentation by some operators.
He added that the Service is expanding investments in scanning technology and ICT infrastructure to strengthen risk-based cargo management and reduce dependence on physical cargo inspections, in line with recommendations from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization.
In her remarks, Audu said PEBEC is implementing a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme designed to address operational gaps identified in its Business Facilitation Compliance Report released in November 2025.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve efficiency across business-facing government agencies by fostering stronger collaboration to eliminate obstacles affecting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
As part of the programme, PEBEC conducted a three-day operational assessment at ports in Lagos in partnership with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
The exercise examined cargo handling processes from vessel arrival to cargo exit and involved consultations with regulators and private-sector stakeholders.
Also speaking, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said vessel arrival schedules already provide sufficient data for planning port operations and personnel deployment.
She stressed that effective use of such information would enable the Service to deploy officers strategically rather than maintaining personnel at terminals while awaiting vessel arrivals.
Officials of the Service also highlighted several trade facilitation initiatives introduced to speed up cargo clearance for trusted traders, including the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling Systems and the One-Stop-Shop platform.
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