Nigeria, US Customs to Fight Drugs, Arms Smuggling with AI

Nigeria, US Customs to Fight Drugs, Arms Smuggling with AI

The Nigeria Customs Service is collaborating with the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to curb the flow of illicit drugs and arms into the West African nation.

In an exclusive interview with the Voice of America (VOA) correspondent Chinedu Offor, on July 23, 2024, it was revealed that the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi recently held talks in Washington DC with officials from the CBP to address this issue.

According to the CGC, the meeting is part of a determined effort to enhance operations in the face of increasing gang sophistication. “Earlier in the week, I was in San Diego for a conference on the use of geospatial intelligence in customs operations. Integrating and adopting tools like AI and geospatial intelligence were central to our discussions with the CBP. I am excited that in the days ahead, we will begin to reap the benefits of this engagement,” he stated.

On the United States promise to assist the Nigeria Customs Service and employ AI to simplify operations, CGC Adeniyi stated, “We will share our experiences with them to identify what works for us and what does not. We are conducting a needs assessment to determine our priorities.” he said.

Regarding President Bola Tinubu’s pronouncement on the removal of tariffs to reduce food prices and address the food crisis, CGC Adeniyi noted that the President is empowered by the Nigeria Customs Service 2023 to determine and vary tariffs on imported goods to help reduce food inflation in Nigeria.

The Customs boss also emphasised that the service will not relent in its efforts to disrupt the smuggling cartels of illicit drugs, arms, and ammunition through Nigeria’s ports, employing intelligence-driven solutions to combat this menace.