The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced its One-Stop-Shop (OSS), a project expected to reduce cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

The unveiling happened in Abuja, where Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of Customs, met with senior officers to discuss the Service’s modernisation agenda.

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make our operations more business-friendly,” the CGC said.

He said that under the OSS framework, all Customs Units will work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays. Consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception.

Read also: Full list of import goods exempted from Customs 4% FOB levy

Adeniyi said the project is in line with global best practices and the federal government’s Ease of Doing Business policy. He stressed that the reform is designed to “sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure predictability in Customs procedures.”

The meeting included discussions about the Service’s accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Adeniyi assured the Customs Area Controllers that the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide, adding that the initiative is fully supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

Bethel Olujobi reports on trade and maritime business for BusinessDay with prior experience reporting on migration, labour, and tech. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from the University of Jos, and is certified by the FT, Reuters and Google. Drawing from his experience working with other respected news providers, he presents a nuanced and informed perspective on the complexities of critical matters. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria and occasionally commutes to Abuja.

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