Trade Facilitation: Nigeria customs rolls out One-Stop cargo clearance hub

By Godwin Oritse

In a bid to accelerate commercialized facilitation and amended ratio astatine Nigeria’s ports, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Initiative aimed astatine cutting cargo clearance clip to conscionable 48 hours.

Unveiled during a high-level absorption gathering successful Abuja, the level brings unneurotic cardinal Customs Area Controllers and elder officers nether the enactment of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi. The reform, according to Adeniyi, is designed to streamline operations, destruct redundancies, and supply greater predictability for businesses engaged successful import and export.

Beyond Customs, the OSS is positioned arsenic a cornerstone of the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business drive, aligning Nigeria’s commercialized situation with planetary standards and offering alleviation to shippers agelong constrained by delays and bureaucracy.

Adeniyi described the OSS arsenic a “transformative shift” successful enactment with planetary champion practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy. He stressed that the betterment would sanitise operations, trim duplication of efforts, and guarantee predictability successful Customs procedures.

“The OSS inaugural volition not lone shorten clearance clip from 21 days to 48 hours, but it volition besides fortify trader confidence, reconstruct transparency, and marque our operations much business-friendly,” the Customs brag said.

While acknowledging the relation of exertion successful Customs operations, Adeniyi emphasised the value of carnal engagement with officers.

“As overmuch arsenic exertion has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments erstwhile carnal beingness coming unneurotic nether 1 extortion adds value and worth to our deliberations. Meetings similar this fortify our unity of intent and guarantee we talk with 1 voice,” helium noted.

Under the OSS framework, each Customs Units volition jointly grip flagged declarations, eliminating aggregate checks and reducing delays. Consignments cleared nether the OSS volition not beryllium taxable to re-interception, a determination aimed astatine reducing costs and enhancing commercialized facilitation.

The Abuja gathering besides provided a level to reappraisal the Service’s accountability framework, including a caller cardinal dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Adeniyi assured the Customs Area Controllers that the betterment would beryllium piloted astatine Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports earlier being rolled retired nationwide, adding that the inaugural is afloat supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

He said: “This is not conscionable a policy. It is simply a connection of intent that reflects our determination to physique a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly Customs Service.”

Following respective responses and interventions connected the OSS Initiative, the Customs Area Controllers pledged their afloat support, describing it arsenic timely and indispensable to reposition the Service for efficiency. They assured the enactment of their readiness to thrust the betterment astatine their respective commands and to enactment successful synergy toward achieving the 48-hour clearance target.

The station Trade Facilitation: Nigeria customs rolls retired One-Stop cargo clearance hub appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.