Port Efficiency: Customs, PEBEC unveil action plan to fastrack cargo clearance
Maureen Aguta
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have launched a fresh, execution-driven reform agenda aimed at tackling inefficiencies at the nation’s ports and boosting trade competitiveness.
The initiative, unveiled at a three-day operational workshop in Apapa, Lagos, marks a strategic shift from policy design to implementation, with officials insisting that tangible results—not new frameworks—will define success.
Speaking at the opening session, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the Service was prioritising the translation of existing reform ideas into measurable operational outcomes.
According to him, the workshop, themed “Customs Leadership in Port Efficiency, Inspection Reform and Clearance Timeline,” is designed to bridge the long-standing gap between knowledge and execution in port operations.
“This workshop is about closing the distance between knowing and doing. The Service must now focus on translating established best practices into consistent operational outcomes,” Adeniyi said.
He outlined a five-pillar reform strategy covering joint cargo inspections, risk-based clearance, optimisation of scanning infrastructure, enforcement of service timelines, and improved inter-agency coordination.
Adeniyi stressed that the Service is transitioning to intelligence-led cargo processing, leveraging digital platforms and scanning systems to accelerate clearance processes and improve transparency for port users.
In a move to ensure accountability, he disclosed that the workshop would produce a detailed reform implementation matrix to be closely monitored at the highest levels.
“The reform implementation matrix will not end up in a filing cabinet. It will be actively monitored, and I will personally follow progress reports,” he said, while urging officers to uphold professionalism, integrity and consistency in their duties.
Also speaking, Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, emphasised the need for a data-driven approach to cargo inspection, noting that indiscriminate checks remain a major source of delays and high costs at Nigerian ports.
“We must move from inspecting everything to inspecting the right thing,” she said, adding that efficient and predictable border processes are critical to reducing the cost of doing business and improving Nigeria’s global trade standing.
Earlier, Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, said the evolving mandate of the Service places it at the centre of trade facilitation and economic growth, stressing that efficiency must be reflected across all commands.
Meanwhile, the NCS and PEBEC delegation also visited the National Single Window facility, where they held discussions with stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, to assess progress and address operational gaps.
Industry watchers say the renewed collaboration signals stronger political will to reform Nigeria’s ports, long plagued by congestion, duplication of processes and delays.
With implementation now in focus, stakeholders will be watching closely for improvements in cargo clearance timelines, reduction in dwell time and a more predictable operating environment for importers and exporters.