Author: Folusho Adeogun.

In a bid to enhance trade facilitation and efficiency within the nation’s import and export value chain, the Federal Government has inaugurated the National Single Window Steering Committee, with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) serving as a key member.

The launch took place at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday, with President Bola Tinubu presiding over the inauguration.

The Committee is composed of representatives from key federal ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the Marine and Blue Economy, Transportation, Trade and Investment, as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Service. Other agencies involved are the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The Nigerian Customs Service is playing a crucial role in the effort, given its direct involvement in trade facilitation and border security.

The newly established committee will oversee the implementation of the National Single Window project, a real-time digital trade compliance system aimed at modernising and streamlining trade processes.

The project is expected to facilitate paperless trade and provide an annual economic benefit of around $2.7 billion, contributing to national revenue and improving port efficiency.

President Tinubu emphasised the importance of the initiative. He said, “Nigeria cannot afford to lose an estimated $4 billion annually due to bureaucratic delays, red tape, and corruption at the nation’s ports. By embracing the single window system, Nigeria hopes to join countries like Singapore, Korea, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia that have already experienced significant improvements in trade efficiency,” he stated.

The Nigeria Customs Service supports the initiative as it aligns with the service’s goal of enhancing trade facilitation and national security.

NCS’s involvement will ensure the successful implementation of the project, helping to expedite cargo movement and optimise inter-African trade.

The initiative is seen as a bold statement of the government’s commitment to progress, prosperity, and the well-being of all Nigerians. It represents a significant step towards regional integration and collaboration, ultimately contributing to a better future for the country.

By Ruth Akata

In an effort to strengthen the longstanding partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its counterpart in the Republic of Benin, a high-powered delegation led by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, embarked on a crucial mission to meet with the Director-General of the Customs Administration of Benin Republic on Thursday, 11 April, 2024.

The primary focus of the meeting, as outlined by the CGC, was to deliberate on strategies aimed at amplifying trade activities between the two nations and ensuring the seamless implementation of recommendations previously discussed during their rendezvous in Cotonou.

Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, the CGC underscored, “We are cognizant of the established framework for cooperation between our respective customs administrations. This framework was established at a higher level by the authorities of the heads of State, President Patrice Talon of Benin and His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, both expressing a desire to work together. It is upon this foundation that the customs of both countries are united in their efforts.”

Welcoming the delegation with open arms, Mrs Adidjatou Hassan Zanouvi, the Director-General of Benin Customs Administration, reiterated their steadfast commitment to executing the mutually agreed-upon measures, emphasising the importance of thorough monitoring to ensure effective implementation.

The collaborative endeavours between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Benin Republic Customs Administration, according to her, serve as a testament to their shared commitment to facilitating seamless trade operations and ensuring the efficient management of cross-border activities for the mutual benefit of both nations.

In the meantime, during the visit, the CGC seized the opportunity to inspect ongoing projects within the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command. Accompanied by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Timi Bomodi, the CGC meticulously assessed the progress of the projects and received assurances of diligent oversight from the responsible authorities.

Author: Gift Wada.

The Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected N66,920,181,586.30 as total revenue for the first quarter of 2024, which is N22,198,965,809.55 higher than N44,721,215,776.75 collected between January and March 2023, representing 49.6 percent increase.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Saidu Yusuf, in a press statement signed by the Command’s Spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Customs Muhammad Yakubu, on 13 April 2024, described the increase in revenue collection as a laudable feat.

Comptroller Yusuf, while commending the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, for initiating strategies to achieve faster cargo clearance, assured that PTML Command under his watch aims to surpass its record of three-hour cargo clearance for compliant traders.

“The launching of time release study (TRS), which is ongoing, and other deliberate efforts by the Comptroller General have contributed to expanding terminal space and promoting ease of doing business in PTML.

“The PTML command has the potential to achieve two-hour cargo clearance and surpass its existing three hours records if port users compliance level is improved,” he said.

Comptroller Yusuf, who described PTML as one of the safest and most secure environments for Roll On Roll Off (RoRo) and general cargoes, also advised importers and their agents to take advantage of the incentives available for compliant traders such as fast track, advance ruling and possible migration to the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status.

He reminded port users in PTML of the robust and time-conscious dispute resolution mechanism, which has contributed immensely to the revenue collection, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling functions of the command.

While commending the various government and private sector stakeholders for their cooperation and support towards the realisation of the government’s goal for revenue collection and prevention of unlawful activities, Comptroller
Yusuf expressed optimism that the command will surpass its annual target for the year.

He described the importation of vehicles meant for Nigerian roads into neighbouring countries with the intent to smuggle them through unapproved roads into Nigeria as unpatriotic and an act of economic sabotage as the command has the capacity for seamless and efficient processing of such automobile cargoes.

For the second quarter and first half of the year, the CAC enjoined command officers to maximally deploy available technology and rededicate themselves to the job to achieve more.

He reminded port users that there is increased anti-smuggling vigilance to uncover concealment such as under declaration and smuggling of prohibited items. The CAC added that any discovered infraction will fully evoke the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023, where there are spelt-out penalties.