Trade Facilitation: Adeniyi unveils customs data analytics centre, inspects high-tech cargo scanner at Apapa Port
Maureen Aguta
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has commissioned a state-of-the-art Data Analytics Centre and inspected a newly installed Drive-Through Cargo Scanner at the Apapa Port, in a move aimed at strengthening intelligence-led operations and accelerating cargo clearance.
The twin facilities, unveiled on Tuesday at the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos, are part of the Service’s ongoing digital transformation drive designed to modernise port operations and deepen trade facilitation.
Speaking during the commissioning, Adeniyi described data as the “real currency” of modern international trade, stressing that credible and reliable information is critical to effective Customs administration and global collaboration.
According to him, data forms the backbone of the Service’s risk management architecture and underpins its participation in global trade facilitation initiatives.
“Virtually every ICT-driven project of the Service is powered by data,” he said, noting that programmes such as the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Scheme and the development of risk indicators rely heavily on accurate and timely information.
He explained that Customs administrations across the world are increasingly adopting data-driven systems to enhance operational efficiency, improve compliance, and strengthen border security.
The newly commissioned analytics centre, he said, will significantly improve the Service’s capacity to generate intelligence from trade data, thereby supporting faster decision-making and more targeted enforcement operations.
Adeniyi commended the Service’s ICT Department and the Apapa Command for delivering the project, expressing confidence that insights generated from the centre would enhance operational efficiency.
He also urged officers to maximise the facility’s capabilities while encouraging stakeholders and partner government agencies to trust the Service’s data-driven processes.
The Customs chief noted that decisions taken by the administration would increasingly be guided by intelligence generated through advanced data analysis.
As part of the visit, the CGC also commissioned a clinic located within the newly constructed two-storey building at the Command, describing improved healthcare facilities as essential to maintaining the physical and mental wellbeing of officers operating in demanding environments.
During the tour, Adeniyi inspected the newly installed Drive-Through Scanner at APM Terminals in Apapa, a technology expected to significantly enhance cargo inspection procedures.
The scanner system automatically links scanned cargo images with electronic declarations in real time, eliminating manual documentation and streamlining the clearance process.
Customs officials said the technology would reduce cargo dwell time at the port, minimise the need for physical examination of consignments, and improve the detection of prohibited items.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, described the new facility as the beginning of a new era of intelligence-driven Customs operations.
He explained that the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Arena was designed as a futuristic operational hub that will house key units including the Analytics Centre of Excellence, the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), the Command’s clinic, and other strategic offices.
Oshoba said the project reflects the vision of the Comptroller-General to deploy modern technology and data analytics to combat smuggling, strengthen national security, and facilitate legitimate trade.
He added that the initiative represents a milestone under the Customs PACT (Partnership for Cooperation in Trade) framework championed by the CGC, while acknowledging the support of industry stakeholders whose collaboration helped deliver the project within a short timeframe.
