Nigeria Customs Tests New Cargo Scanners, Tracking Systems in China
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Trade Modernisation Project Limited (TMPL) have completed factory acceptance tests for newly acquired cargo scanners and electronic tracking systems in China ahead of their deployment in Nigeria.
The equipment is expected to strengthen cargo examination, improve revenue collection, curb cargo diversion and enhance the detection of concealed and prohibited items at the country’s entry and exit points.
The two-week Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), conducted from October 9 to 20, 2026, took place at the facilities of Nuctech Company Limited, the Chinese manufacturer of the equipment.
The exercise was led by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of the Information Communication and Technology/Modernisation Department, Oluyomi Adebakin, and involved technical experts from the NCS and TMPL.
The team conducted technical verification of the newly acquired Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) equipment and Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) to ensure they met contractual specifications and international operational standards before shipment to Nigeria.
Speaking during the exercise, Adebakin reaffirmed Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi’s commitment to deploying modern technology to facilitate legitimate trade, optimise revenue generation and strengthen national security.
She described the factory acceptance test as a critical quality-assurance process that would ensure the equipment was fit for purpose before deployment.
“The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of CGC Adeniyi, is committed to ensuring that we deploy only cutting-edge, fit-for-purpose technology that will fast-track cargo examination, reduce dwell time, and enhance our ability to detect concealments and prohibited items, improve revenue generation, as well as facilitate legitimate trade,” Adebakin said.
The new scanners are designed to examine cargo without requiring routine physical opening of containers, while the electronic tracking system will enable Customs officers to monitor consignments in real time as they move from ports to their final destinations.
The integration of both technologies is expected to improve cargo visibility, strengthen risk management and reduce opportunities for diversion and other irregularities along the supply chain.
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Also speaking, the Acting Comptroller of Non-Intrusive Inspection, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Umar Madugu, said the deployment of the equipment would significantly reduce the need for 100 per cent physical examination of cargo.
According to him, the systems would minimise human contact in cargo inspection, curb diversion and improve operational efficiency across Customs formations.
Madugu added that the technology would support more targeted inspections, allowing officers to concentrate on high-risk consignments while facilitating faster clearance for compliant traders.
Speaking on behalf of TMPL, the company’s General Manager, Bamidele Chinedu, described the factory acceptance test as a significant milestone in the implementation of the Trade Modernisation Project.
He said the integration of NII scanners and the Electronic Cargo Tracking System was central to establishing a transparent, efficient and technology-driven Customs administration.
Chinedu noted that combining modern scanning technology with electronic cargo monitoring would strengthen operational controls and support the Service’s broader modernisation agenda.
In his remarks, Niu Chao, Project Manager at Nuctech Company Limited, expressed the company’s commitment to delivering world-class equipment and providing the technical support required for effective implementation.
He also assured the Nigerian delegation of continued assistance through capacity building, equipment maintenance and after-sales services to support the systems’ long-term performance.
Beyond the equipment verification, technical experts from the NCS and TMPL received training during the exercise on the operation, handling and maintenance of the scanners and electronic tracking systems.
The training is expected to equip Nigerian personnel with the technical skills required for the equipment’s deployment, routine operation and maintenance, while reducing potential disruptions after installation.
The factory acceptance test marks a key stage in preparations for introducing the new technology into Nigeria’s Customs operations.
Once deployed, the systems are expected to support faster cargo processing, improve compliance monitoring, strengthen revenue assurance and enhance the Service’s capacity to detect illicit goods.
The initiative forms part of the NCS’s broader modernisation drive to use digital technology and automation to improve trade facilitation, operational transparency and border security.
By PRNigeria
