Customs rolls out automated system for overtime cargoes

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has rolled out an automated clearance system for overtime cargoes.

It extended the clearance window from 30 to 120 days in a bid to boost trade efficiency.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, announced the development on Monday at a sensitisation programme for stakeholders in Zone ‘A,’ Lagos, including consignees, brokers, terminal operators, and customs officers.

Adeniyi said the initiative would reduce delays caused by abandoned consignments and minimise the number of extension requests that currently make up nearly half of the correspondence to his office daily.

“We have created a help desk at the headquarters to prioritise clearance of project cargoes belonging to government agencies,” he said.

“Importation is critical to Nigeria’s economic development, and our goal is not just to generate revenue but to ensure goods reach their owners quickly and efficiently.”

The Customs chief noted that less than one percent of cargo arriving in Nigerian ports in 2024 were classified as overtime, expressing optimism that the new system could drive the figure to zero.

He added that continuous sensitisation would be carried out to ensure smooth adoption of the process.

“The overtime cargo automation programme is fully developed and ready for deployment.

“This sensitisation is to ensure all stakeholders, terminal operators, shipping companies, and agents, understand the system and work together for success,” he said.

Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Isah Umar, said the e-clearance system would simplify procedures, enhance transparency, reduce human interference, and strengthen data integrity for imports and exports.

He added that the platform would automatically record cargo disposals and harmonise documentation through the Single Goods Declaration (SGD).

Also speaking, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Aliyu Abdulkadir, explained that the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 provides that overtime cargoes are subject to disposal after 120 days.

He said perishable and inflammable items may be disposed of immediately via e-auction or other approved means to prevent accidents.

Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Ibrahim Muhammed, further clarified that cargoes become classified as overtime after 30 days, with clearance escalated from the area controller to the zonal level, and finally to headquarters if unresolved within the stipulated period.

He stressed that the automation programme would offer a transparent, efficient, and accountable framework for managing overtime consignments.

Meanwhile, Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘A,’ Muhammed Babadede, described the NCS as the most digitalised customs administration in West and Central Africa, commending Adeniyi for driving reforms through automation.