The Customs Area Controller of the Tin-Can Island Port Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Frank Onyeka, has described the “B’Odogwu” clearance platform as a pivotal evolution in Nigeria’s customs modernization drive, anchored on visionary and purposeful leadership.
Speaking during an interactive session with senior maritime journalists at his office recently, Comptroller Onyeka commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for spearheading the initiative, which he described as the biggest technological leap in customs administration across the African continent.
Onyeka noted that the Tin-Can Island Command is already partially implementing the B’Odogwu platform and assured that full deployment is imminent, with necessary systems and resources already in place.
“It is phenomenal in the sense that it is our own home-grown technology. In Africa, I think it is the biggest deal in customs administration. Our CGC Adeniyi dreamed it, believed in it, and rallied the Service and stakeholders to key into it,” Onyeka said.
He highlighted that while B’Odogwu is designed to facilitate lawful trade and reduce human intervention, its efficiency largely depends on truthful declarations from importers and freight forwarders.
“B’Odogwu is impartial and cold as the wheel of justice. It treats entries mechanically and as accurately as what is fed into it. To achieve seamless trade, stakeholders must make honest declarations to avoid avoidable delays caused by system rejection,” he explained.
The Comptroller recalled that the CGC had earlier announced the platform’s deployment to Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports after a successful pilot at PTML in the last quarter of 2024. He maintained that the system, though still in its pre-launch phase at Tin-Can, is gaining momentum with promising results.
Onyeka emphasized that trade compliance remains the linchpin of the success of the platform, alongside Customs’ core mandates of revenue generation and national security enforcement. He added that his administration has activated comprehensive strategies aimed at entrenching compliance without stifling trade.
Until recently, Tin-Can Island Port had been notorious for clearance-related malpractices including missing containers (container flying), concealment of prohibited items, and under-declaration of goods. It also ranked high among ports supporting syndicates engaged in document cloning, otherwise known as “machine outside,” which reportedly cost the nation hundreds of billions of naira annually.
Since assuming office, Onyeka—who previously served as Deputy Comptroller of Enforcement at the Apapa Area Command—has intensified monitoring efforts and implemented stringent trade facilitation measures aimed at curbing sharp practices and fostering a culture of compliance.
His leadership has been marked by efforts to reduce operational downtimes, enhance professionalism, and eliminate multiple cargo alerts, which had long plagued importers and agents. The Command under his watch has reinforced a one-stop-shop model, reducing delays and boosting stakeholders’ confidence in the system.
The Controller also reaffirmed his commitment to continued stakeholder engagement to deepen understanding of emerging customs policies and promote a more trade-friendly port environment.
“We expect increased compliance from stakeholders to eliminate multiple alerts. We have managed to reduce this concern to a large extent, and the relief it brings to port users is significant,” he said.
In terms of revenue performance, the Tin-Can Island Command recorded a remarkable ₦347.9 billion in revenue collection between January and March 2025—representing a 12.6% increase from ₦304 billion in the corresponding period in 2024. Breakdown of the figures shows ₦116.4 billion collected in January (up 24.06% from 2024), ₦103.2 billion in February (up 2.90%), and ₦128.2 billion in March (up 10.3%).
With a 2025 revenue target of ₦1.524 trillion, Comptroller Onyeka remains optimistic about meeting and surpassing the goal through a combination of stakeholder collaboration, honest declarations, and full implementation of technology-driven solutions like B’Odogwu.
“We are committed to the full implementation of B’Odogwu and all other customs modernization tools. Through ongoing engagements and collaborative feedback, we aim to build a seamless operational environment that promotes financial good governance and strengthens national security,” he concluded.