Customs Introduce One-Stop-Shop To Minimise Cargo Clearance Time

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its one-stop-shop initiative to reduce cargo clearance time to 48 hours. The initiative was unveiled during a meeting with NCS  management and customs area controllers in Abuja, the service said in a statement yesterday.

The meeting, chaired by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, brought together senior officers to deliberate on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

Adeniyi described the initiative as a “transformative shift” in line with global best practices and the federal government’s ease of doing business policy. He said the reform is designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure predictability in Customs procedures.

“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.

While acknowledging the role of technology in Customs operations, Adeniyi emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence coming together under one roof adds weight and value to our deliberations. Meetings like this strengthen our unity of purpose and ensure we speak with one voice,” he noted.

“Under the 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, a move aimed at reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation,” the statement read in part.

The Abuja meeting also provided a platform to review 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).

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he concluded

Following several responses and interventions on the OSS Initiative, the customs area controllers pledged their full support, describing it as timely and necessary to reposition the Service for efficiency.