Nigeria Customs Service Begins Pre-Unveiling of Trade Facilitation Tool to Ease Business Operations

 The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the pre-unveiling process of its new trade facilitation tool, designed to streamline import and export procedures, reduce bottlenecks, and improve efficiency in the country’s trade ecosystem.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the announcement during a stakeholder engagement session in Lagos, where he emphasized that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to improving ease of doing business and enhancing cross-border trade.

According to Adeniyi, the new tool will leverage digital technology to automate key customs processes, enabling faster cargo clearance, reducing paperwork, and minimizing human interference in trade documentation. The pre-unveiling phase allows industry players, including importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and logistics firms, to familiarize themselves with the system before its full implementation.

He added that the initiative is part of the customs service’s broader modernization agenda, which includes the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to track shipments and curb smuggling.

Stakeholders have welcomed the development, noting that an efficient trade facilitation system will boost Nigeria’s position as a regional trade hub and attract more foreign investment into the logistics and manufacturing sectors.