The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially introduced its One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Initiative, a major reform aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.
The initiative was unveiled on September 23, 2025, during a meeting with NCS Management and Customs Area Controllers in Abuja.
The OSS framework will enable all Customs Units to work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.
Consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, a move aimed at reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the OSS as a “transformative shift” in line with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.
He stressed that the reform is designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure predictability in Customs procedures.
The OSS initiative is expected to strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make Customs operations more business-friendly.
The reform will also enhance accountability, with a new central dashboard tracking clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction.
The OSS initiative will be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.
The NCS Act 2023 and the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) fully support the initiative.
The Customs Area Controllers have pledged their full support for the OSS initiative, describing it as timely and necessary to reposition the Service for efficiency.
They have assured the Comptroller-General of their readiness to drive the reform at their respective commands and work in synergy to achieve the 48-hour clearance target.
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