The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the issuance of the first Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) under the B’Odugwu (Unified Customs Management System) as part of efforts to improve trade facilitation.
Abdullahi Maiwada, the Public Relations Officer of the NCS disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the development marks a significant milestone in the Service’s commitment to technology-driven trade reforms.
“This achievement follows the recent strategic engagement between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, where both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to seamless trade processes, enhanced revenue collection, and improved financial integration.
“The B’Odogwu system, developed as an indigenous replacement for the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II), is designed to modernise Customs operations, enhance efficiency in trade documentation, and strengthen inter-agency collaboration,” the statement partly reads.
Maiwada mentioned that during the pilot phase at Port and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Customs Area Command and beyond, stakeholders, including other government agencies, were actively engaged to ensure a smooth transition.
He noted that the issuance of the first PAAR under B’Odogwu marks the beginning of a nationwide rollout aimed at streamlining Customs procedures and enhancing trade facilitation.
The spokesperson reiterated that the Service remains committed to ensuring that all necessary approvals and integrations with financial institutions, including Authorized Dealer Banks (ADBs), are completed to enable seamless foreign exchange transactions and trade-related payments.
“The NCS, under the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and his management team, appreciates the support of all stakeholders and urges the trading community to embrace the B’Odogwu platform for a more efficient, transparent, and technology-driven Customs processes,” the statement added.
