Tag: customs

Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has said that effective communication is essential to the work of a public relations officer.

He spoke at a one-day workshop for Customs public relations officers, held at Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

He said a PRO is needed to represent an institution, preserve its dignity, maintain its credibility, and reinforce public confidence.

According to the Customs boss, the PRO’s job is so demanding that “every decision, every operation, and every policy affects millions of Nigerians -the business community, and our regional and international partners.”

Read Also: Southwest car dealers protest alleged extortion, harassment, illegal fees at Customs’ Ondo office

He explained, “In such an environment, how we communicate is just as important as what we do. Our actions may speak, but it is the voice of public relations that interprets, contextualises, and gives meaning to these actions.”

Describing the workshop as timely, with the theme: ‘Beyond Masters of Ceremonies, the Strategic Role of Public Relations Officers for Institutional Growth and Stakeholders’ Trust,’ Adeneyi said, “the event challenges us to rethink the traditional perceptions of the PROs as mere announcers, moderators or event managers.”

“Our PROs are the interpreters of customs policies to the public, the mediators in times of misunderstanding, the crisis managers during operational challenges, and the custodians of the services of this new age.

“Our service is modernising operations, automating processes, and aligning with global best practices. These reforms, however, cannot be sustained without trust.

“This is the central beauty of our public relations officers, and they must be equipped to communicate the objectives of our policies, explain the rationale for our actions, and listen actively to the concerns of stakeholders.

“In today’s interconnected world, where a single message can go viral in minutes, our PROs must also master digital platforms and learn how to combat disinformation and promote transparency as a standard practice,” he said.

The workshop was designed to enhance PROs’ technical knowledge and sharpen strategic thinking, broadening their understanding of media dynamics and strengthening their abilities to align communication with the services brought about, the customs boss said.

Spokesman to Kano Governor, Sanusi Bature Dawaki Tofa, PROs are now central to the architectural design of trust and reputation management.

“The design of reputation and sustainability of institutional growth is our cardinal role, not just about communication, but results that create influence, insight, and impact for the people we serve.

“Yes, despite the importance of this work, the responsibilities of PROs remain one of the must-be-done jobs. It is handled by professionals who are rarely recognised for their excellence, but always blamed for any mistake.”

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to fully automate overtime cargo clearance in Zone ‘A’, a reform aimed at decongesting ports, curbing corruption, boosting transparency, and facilitating trade for economic growth.

Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, speaking at a sensitisation forum with stakeholders in Lagos, revealed that some cargoes have been left in ports for over 15 years. He described the automation drive as a bold step to end decades of inefficiency in managing overtime cargo.

Adeniyi explained that while revenue from overtime cargo sales was less than one percent of NCS’s ₦6.3 trillion earnings in 2024, the real goal of the new system is trade facilitation, not revenue generation.

“Our interest is in getting cargoes quickly to importers, manufacturers, and government agencies, not in keeping them in the ports,” he stressed, adding that priority desks had been set up to fast-track clearance of critical government projects, private sector imports, and diplomatic consignments.

Read Also: Onoh commends Nigeria Customs’ seizure of 347 snakes, scorpions destined for export

The CG assured stakeholders that the automated system would block loopholes, minimise human interference, and prevent criminal exploitation of the process.

Assistant Comptroller-General Idaho Umar described the initiative as part of Customs’ transformation into a modern, globally aligned organisation, noting that the digital clearance system will simplify procedures, enhance data integrity, reduce delays, and restore confidence in cargo management.

“The automation of overtime cargo clearance will achieve transparency of process, eliminate duplication, streamline documentation, and prevent indiscriminate disposal of goods. It will also ease congestion in ports, terminals, and warehouses,” Umar said.

He added that the exercise reflects the Service’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023.

Umar also assured the stakeholders that the platform would be continuously monitored and refined through consultations with terminal operators, shipping companies, customs brokers, and other industry players.

He emphasized that while revenue remains important, the overarching goal is to facilitate trade, reduce costs for importers, and make the Nigerian ports globally competitive.

…pilot phase records 75% efficiency score at BATN

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced its Automated Excise Register System (ERS) as part of an ongoing trade modernisation agenda, marking a major step toward digitalising excise administration and reducing manual bottlenecks.

According to a statement by NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, the system has officially gone live at three strategic excise factories: British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Plc in Oyo State, International Tobacco Company (ITC) Limited in Kwara State, and Leaf Tobacco & Commodities Nigeria Ltd in Kaduna State.

“The formal activation of the ERS follows a series of extensive field activities undertaken by the Service, which included rigorous User Acceptance Testing (UAT), system validation processes, and comprehensive hands-on training engagements with both Customs officers and excise factory personnel,” Maiwada said.

Read Also: Customs generates N3.7trillion, posts 25% growth

The pilot phase, which ran between July and August 2025, he said, recorded key milestones such as a 75 per cent efficiency score at BATN, seamless integration of production and reporting systems across factories, and stronger collaboration between Customs and factory management.

With the system now live, excise-related transactions in the three factories will be managed exclusively through the ERS. 

These, the Customs said, include recording production volumes, computing excise duties, and generating statutory reports. The digital shift is expected to reduce reliance on manual documentation, curb inconsistencies in data reporting, and boost transparency.

“Ultimately, this transition is a crucial step towards building a more accountable and technology-driven excise administration framework,” the Service stated.

Maiwada emphasised that the lessons from the pilot will serve as a blueprint for nationwide rollout, with future phases covering other excise-regulated industries such as beverages, spirits, and additional manufacturing segments. He noted that the initiative aligns with the Customs Trade Modernisation Project.

“The NCS, therefore, calls on industry operators and stakeholders to embrace this noble reform and provide constructive feedback as the system is expanded nationwide.

“The Service also seeks stakeholders’ support in building a more robust and transparent excise regime that fosters compliance, enhances operational efficiency, and guarantees sustainable revenue growth for the Federal Government,” he added.

The federal government has announced that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N3.7 trillion in the first half of 2025, a revenue performance that exceeded budgetary expectations and outpaced last year’s results.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this during the 62nd meeting of the NCS Board in Abuja.

He said the amount represented a 12.5 per cent increase above budget projections and 25 per cent higher than collections recorded in the same period of 2024.

Read Also: Customs promotes 3,312 officers, rakes in N3.68 trillion in six months

According to the Minister, the performance of the Customs Service was commendable, but he cautioned that deeper reforms would be needed to achieve the administration’s ambitious revenue targets.

“The National Single Window will give Customs the speed and capacity to process trade more effectively, boosting revenue and positioning Nigeria as a more attractive hub for investment,” Edun stated.

He explained that the National Single Window Initiative, a digital trade platform scheduled for full rollout in 2026, is central to the administration’s reforms.

Designed to streamline import and export processes, the platform will reduce costs, eliminate unnecessary delays, and strengthen competitiveness, thereby improving the ease of doing business for the private sector.

Edun also said the federal government remained committed to modernising trade systems as part of wider efforts to ensure sustainable revenue growth.

The Minister added that the ongoing reforms are aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s broader economic strategy of stabilising inflation and exchange rates while building a transparent, technology-driven trade ecosystem that supports private investment and economic growth.

At the meeting, the NCS Board confirmed governance improvements within the Service, including senior appointments and promotions, aimed at upholding professional standards and strengthening institutional capacity.