The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, led a steering committee meeting to reinforce advancements made in the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Trade Modernization Project (TMP). The closed-door session, held at the Customs Corporate Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, aimed at enhancing trade facilitation through technology.
CGC Adeniyi disclosed that the TMP, designed for the end-to-end automation of NCS processes, includes the Unified Customs Management System, Trade Portal, and Cargo Release System. It also encompasses Automation Services like Big Data & AI Integration, Document Management System, Transition & Handbook, covering Technology Upgrades and Enhanced Capacity Building.
Emphasizing the project’s significance, the CGC stated, “It sets the stage for adapting to evolving market dynamics in trade, optimizing operations and procedures, and creating new pathways to unlock revenue streams.”
The Trade Modernization Project is a twenty-year initiative structured into three phases: Core Services, Automation Services, Transition, and Handback. During the meeting, CGC Adeniyi expressed optimism about the robust discussions and good decisions that will propel the service forward.
Chairman of the Trade Modernization Project Limited, Saleh Ahmadu, affirmed his team’s full support for the NCS. He revealed the development of software integrating revenue collection to support the NCS’s revenue target of N6 trillion in 2024. Ahmadu acknowledged challenges, particularly in sourcing foreign exchange, but expressed confidence in overcoming them.
“To support the CGC’s revenue target of 6 trillion by the year 2024, alongside the many other successes that we will share with you today. We have also faced serious challenges, particularly in sourcing foreign exchange,” he said.
“We are a lifelong partner to the Nigeria Customs Service, and together we are changing trade facilitation in Nigeria,” Ahmadu added, expressing confidence in the steering committee’s support to overcome challenges.
The commitment to leveraging technology and collaborative efforts with the steering committee reflects the NCS’s determination to foster transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in trade facilitation.