Customs, PEBEC partner to end port paperwork as Adeniyi pushes digital trade reforms
Maureen Aguta
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have strengthened collaboration to accelerate the digital transformation of Nigeria’s ports, as part of efforts to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve trade efficiency.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a strategic meeting with the Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Audu, at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, March 6, 2026.
Adeniyi said the Service is intensifying reforms aimed at establishing a fully paperless port environment, noting that digitalisation of cargo clearance processes will position Nigeria as a more competitive destination for global trade.
He explained that the Customs Service has institutionalised periodic consultations with key stakeholders, including trade associations and business groups such as the American Business Council, to identify operational challenges and improve cooperation within the port ecosystem.
According to him, the engagements provide a direct feedback mechanism from businesses that interact daily with Customs operations at the nation’s ports.
The Customs boss also revealed that the Service recently conducted a Time Release Study (TRS) in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation to assess the time and cost implications of cargo clearance processes in Nigerian ports.
Tin Can Island Port served as the pilot location for the exercise, which involved shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, licensed customs agents and financial institutions. The report from the study was publicly launched on January 26, 2026.
Adeniyi said the inclusive nature of the study ensured that the findings accurately reflected operational realities across the port value chain.
“We deliberately involved every segment of the port community so the findings would reflect the real operational environment. The report has already provided valuable insights guiding some of the reforms we are implementing,” he said.
He added that while some of the concerns raised by stakeholders have already been addressed, others will continue to inform future reforms within the Service.
On the proposed 24-hour port operations, Adeniyi stressed that the initiative can only succeed if all players in the logistics chain operate in sync.
According to him, a previous attempt by the Service to support round-the-clock port operations encountered challenges because other critical operators, including banks, shipping companies and terminal operators, were not fully integrated into the arrangement.
The CGC noted that most core Customs processes have already been digitised, including pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication.
He, however, observed that delays still occur in areas where some operators continue to rely on physical documentation.
“That is an area we intend to address in the coming months as we deepen the transition to a fully paperless environment,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs chief also highlighted ongoing investments in scanning technology and ICT infrastructure to strengthen risk-based cargo management and reduce reliance on physical cargo examinations.
He noted that development partners such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation have consistently encouraged Nigeria to expand the use of non-intrusive inspection technology in line with global best practices.
Earlier, the PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Audu, said the council is currently implementing a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme designed to address operational issues identified in its Business Facilitation Compliance Report released in November 2025.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve efficiency across business-facing ministries, departments and agencies by strengthening collaboration to remove regulatory and operational obstacles affecting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
As part of the programme, Audu said PEBEC conducted a three-day operational assessment at Lagos ports in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
During the exercise, officials observed cargo handling procedures from vessel arrival to cargo exit and engaged extensively with regulators and private sector stakeholders.
“The exercise enabled us to identify key operational challenges affecting port efficiency and to develop practical recommendations for improvement,” she said.
The assessment identified several priority areas requiring attention, including improved coordination of cargo inspections, stronger joint vessel boarding procedures among regulatory agencies and expanded use of technology in port operations.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said vessel arrival schedules already provide sufficient operational data to enable better planning at the ports.
She noted that effective utilisation of such information would allow the Service to deploy officers strategically instead of keeping personnel stationed at terminals while awaiting vessel arrivals.
“The concept of 24-hour port operations should be about smarter deployment of personnel based on vessel schedules, not simply extending working hours,” Adebakin said.
She also affirmed the Service’s readiness to address operational issues raised through the PEBEC reporting platform, stressing that sustained collaboration between both institutions is vital to improving port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s business climate.
In the same vein, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade reiterated the effectiveness of several trade facilitation tools introduced by the Service to accelerate cargo clearance for trusted traders.
These include the Authorised Economic Operator programme, the Advance Ruling System, and the One-Stop-Shop, all designed to support the Federal Government’s drive to enhance trade efficiency and streamline port operations.