Customs, PEBEC Move to Accelerate Paperless Ports, Boost Trade Efficiency
The Nigeria Customs Service and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have strengthened collaboration to accelerate the digitalisation of Nigeria’s port operations, a move aimed at eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks and improving the country’s competitiveness in global trade.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Friday during a strategic meeting with PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Audu, at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to establishing a fully paperless port environment through the expansion of digital processes across cargo clearance operations.
According to him, the ongoing reforms are designed to remove operational inefficiencies and enhance the ease of doing business at Nigeria’s ports.
“The Service has institutionalised regular engagements with stakeholder groups, including the American Business Council and other trade associations, to address operational concerns and strengthen cooperation within the trade ecosystem,” Adeniyi said.
He explained that such consultations enable the Customs Service to identify operational bottlenecks and obtain direct feedback from businesses that interact with Customs at the nation’s seaports.
The Comptroller-General also revealed that the Service, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, recently conducted a Time Release Study (TRS) to scientifically assess the time and cost involved in cargo clearance procedures at Nigerian ports, using Tin Can Island Port as a case study
The study involved key stakeholders, including shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, licensed customs agents and financial institutions. Its findings were compiled in a report publicly launched on January 26, 2026.
“We deliberately involved every segment of the port community in the exercise so that the findings would reflect the real operational environment. The report has already provided valuable insights that are guiding some of the reforms we are implementing,” Adeniyi stated.
He added that while some concerns raised by stakeholders had already been addressed, others would inform ongoing and future reforms within the Service.
On the issue of 24-hour port operations, Adeniyi noted that the initiative requires full integration across the logistics chain to succeed.
“We once deployed officers to support round-the-clock port operations, but the effort faced challenges because other critical operators such as banks, shipping companies and terminal operators were not fully integrated into the arrangement,” he said.
Adeniyi further explained that the Customs Service has already digitised several core processes, including pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication.
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“Where delays still occur, they are often linked to operators who continue to rely on physical documentation. That is an area we intend to address in the coming months,” he added.
The Comptroller-General also highlighted ongoing investments in scanning technology and ICT infrastructure to strengthen risk-based cargo management and reduce reliance on physical cargo examination.
According to him, development partners such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization have encouraged Nigeria to expand the use of non-intrusive inspection technologies in line with global best practices.
Earlier, Audu said PEBEC had launched a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme to address operational challenges identified in its Business Facilitation Compliance Report released in November 2025.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve efficiency across business-facing Ministries, Departments and Agencies by strengthening collaboration to remove bottlenecks affecting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
As part of the programme, PEBEC conducted a three-day operational assessment at Lagos ports in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority. Officials observed cargo-handling processes from vessel arrival to cargo exit while consulting regulators and private-sector stakeholders.
“The exercise enabled us to identify key operational challenges affecting port efficiency and to develop practical recommendations for improvement,” Audu said.
She listed some of the issues identified to include the need for stronger coordination among regulatory agencies during vessel boarding, improved cargo inspection processes and wider adoption of digital technology in port operations.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said vessel arrival schedules already provide adequate information for effective operational planning at the ports.
According to her, better utilisation of such information would enable the Service to deploy personnel more strategically rather than maintaining officers at terminals while awaiting vessel arrivals.
“The concept of 24-hour port operations should focus on smarter deployment of personnel based on vessel schedules, not merely extending working hours,” Adebakin said.
She reaffirmed the Service’s readiness to address operational issues reported through the PEBEC platform, stressing that sustained collaboration between the two institutions is essential for improving port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s business environment.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade reiterated the effectiveness of several trade facilitation tools introduced by the Customs Service to accelerate cargo clearance for trusted traders.
The initiatives include the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling Systems and the One-Stop-Shop platform, all aimed at supporting the Federal Government’s goal of enhancing trade efficiency in Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
