The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has declared that there will be no retreat from its new digital trade platform, B’Odogwu, despite freight forwarders complaining of delays triggered by the transition.
Adewale Adeniyi, comproller general of customs (CGC) during engagements with stakeholders in Lagos, said the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), codenamed B’Odogwu, represents a firm policy direction aimed at modernising cargo clearance and improving transparency.
“There is no going back on B’Odogwu. We have to forge ahead with what we have started. We know there will be issues, which is why, before now, we met with some authorised banks, and that engagement has yielded positive results,” Adeniyi said.
The issues have yet persisted. Clearing agents who spoke to BusinessDay complained that they had not been able to clear their goods from the ports for up to a week due to technical glitches.
One freight forwarder, at the time said he had 50 containers pending clearance despite making payment of duties, accumulating extra demurrage and rent fees. They complained that the Service’s complete transition to the system, abandoning the manual process, leaves no room for options.
The CGC blamed this in part to efforts by hackers to infiltrate the Customs’ digital system, but said that some problems had already been resolved through joint efforts.
“Such nefarious acts constitute economic sabotage, which we will not spare. On our part, we will continue to strengthen our system firewalls to prevent future downtimes,” he said.
The new system introduction comes amid Customs reintroduction of a four percent charge on free on board (FoB), that have driven up import costs.
Some importers think that the joint concurrent introduction of these policies could lead to “reform fatigue.”
However, some freight forwarders have urged patience on members.
Frank Ogunojemite, president of the Africa Association Of Professional Freight Forwarders And Logistics (APFFLON) said the system would improve revenue generation, data sovereignty and operational transparency.
He also called for urgent safeguards to protect traders from additional costs during the adjustment period. The association urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to intensify its role as port regulator by ensuring that demurrage and storage charges are not unfairly imposed on importers for delays beyond their control.
