NAGAFF backs Customs’ transire suspension, urges digital reconciliation to curb revenue leakages
Maureen Aguta
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for suspending the processing of transire movements to bonded warehouses and free trade zones with outstanding reconciliations.
In a commendation letter dated September 25, 2026 and addressed to the Comptroller-General of Customs, NAGAFF Secretary-General, Fwdr. Godfrey Nwosu, described the measure as a strategic intervention capable of strengthening revenue assurance, compliance and national security.
NAGAFF said the decision to halt transire processing for facilities with unresolved reconciliation issues demonstrated the Customs Service’s commitment to blocking potential channels of revenue leakage.
According to the association, the suspension would enhance transparency and promote greater accountability across the various points of customs revenue collection.
“On behalf of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), I write to commend the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the immediate suspension of transire processing to bonded warehouses and free trade zones with outstanding reconciliation,” Nwosu stated.
The freight forwarding body, however, called for complementary measures to ensure that the suspension produces sustainable improvements rather than serving as a temporary enforcement measure.
NAGAFF recommended the deployment of automated reconciliation systems capable of tracking transire movements in real time and ensuring that outstanding transactions are promptly reconciled.
It also called for continuous capacity building for customs officers and freight forwarders, arguing that regular training would help stakeholders keep pace with evolving compliance requirements.
The association further urged the NCS to institutionalise regular consultations with bonded warehouse operators, free trade zone managers and freight forwarders to promote shared responsibility and reduce compliance gaps within the system.
On enforcement, NAGAFF advocated a risk-based monitoring framework driven by intelligence and targeted audits to identify high-risk transactions and prevent infractions before they escalate.
The association also proposed an integrated revenue-assurance framework across customs collection points to promote consistency in revenue collection and reporting.
NAGAFF said it remained prepared to collaborate with the NCS in implementing the measures, expressing confidence that stronger reconciliation mechanisms would help stabilise revenue collection and reinforce Nigeria’s economic resilience.
The development comes amid continuing efforts by the Customs Service to strengthen trade compliance, improve revenue collection and close loopholes within the country’s import and cargo-clearance processes.
For freight forwarders and other stakeholders in the logistics chain, the effectiveness of the new measure will depend not only on enforcement but also on the speed, transparency and efficiency of the reconciliation mechanisms deployed to resolve outstanding transactions.