The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the full automation of its licences and permits processes. This reform aims to eliminate paperwork bottlenecks, reduce port delays, and strengthen revenue assurance across Nigeria’s trade corridors.
The initiative was formally introduced yesterday at a sensitisation programme at the Customs Training College Auditorium, Ikeja, Lagos, with similar engagements taking place simultaneously across all Customs zones nationwide—signalling the Service’s readiness for a coordinated digital rollout.
The programme was anchored by Comptroller Ngozika Anozie, Comptroller of the Licences and Permits Unit under the Tariff and Trade Department. It was attended by the Zonal Coordinator of Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Mohammed Babandede, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
Customs officials said the automation drive is designed to dismantle long-standing inefficiencies associated with manually processing trade licences and permits, which have often slowed cargo clearance and increased transaction costs for importers and logistics operators.
Under the new system, applications and renewals can now be completed entirely online. Applicants can track their status in real time from any location, removing the need for physical visits to Customs offices or the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.
Addressing stakeholders, Babandede described the automation as a turning point in Customs service delivery. He stressed that Zone A, the country’s most economically active zone, carries a major responsibility in ensuring the transition succeeds.
He said, “For stakeholders, automation means that you will no longer have to go to a Customs office simply to apply for or renew a licence or permit. You will be able to do this from your office or even from your phone.”
“It means your applications will be processed faster. It means you will be able to track the status of your application in real time. And it means that the process will be the same for everyone, fair, consistent, and without the risk of error that comes with manual records.”
Babandede added that the reform would also improve internal efficiency within the Service.
“For the Service, automation means better record keeping, easier supervision, and the ability to serve more stakeholders at once without increasing the burden on our officers. We know that change, even when it is for the better, can feel uncomfortable at first. I want to assure you that the team here today, led by the Comptroller of the Licences and Permits Unit, will walk you through every step of the new system,” he stated.
He noted that the initiative was a direct response to years of complaints from operators over excessive paperwork, long queues, and opaque approval processes.
In her presentation, Anozie linked the automation to the Comptroller-General’s three-point agenda of Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation, describing it as both a trade facilitation and revenue-protection tool.
She explained that the digital platform would reduce costs and turnaround time for operators while strengthening compliance through automated detection of fraudulent documents. The system, she said, also enables the Licences and Permits Unit to cross-check unpaid assessments via the B’Odogwu platform before approving applications.
“Ultimately, this automation will enhance the statutory revenue generation duties of the Nigeria Customs Service, because fees are paid into the coffers of government with every single licence and permit processed; imports are made with the permits, the clearing processes are stamped with the licences given, and obviously, revenue is generated.
“So, the more licences and permits we issue or renew, the more revenue we would generate for NCS and Nigeria economy,” Anozie said.
She added that automation would significantly improve officer productivity.
“Automation elicits more efficiency and productivity from the officers as they leverage the seamless process to work on more documents in minutes with greater output,” she said, noting that officers across various Customs Area Commands had already been trained ahead of the rollout.
A key highlight of the event was the demonstration of the application process, where stakeholders were guided through their responsibilities under the new system. Customs also distributed handbooks and step-by-step posters to support adoption.
The sensitisation programme attracted a broad range of trade groups, including representatives of licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, and the Customs Consultative Committee.
Segun Oduntan, Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), commended the initiative, describing it as long overdue. He urged practitioners to ensure accuracy when inputting data into the system and assured that the association would carry out internal sensitisation for its members.
