Customs Seeks CBN’s Approval For Banks Integration Into B’Odogwu

The comptroller-general of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) to grant the necessary approvals for Authorised Dealer Banks to integrate into the B’Odogwu system.

The authorisation, according to the Customs boss, will enable seamless transactions ahead of full deployment of the platform in other commands.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the CBN governor, Olayemi Cardoso, Adeniyi reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with the apex bank to facilitate trade and boost revenue generation—a development he said would benefit all Nigerians.

According to him, the partnership aims to drive the full implementation of the B’Odogwu system—an indigenous trade facilitation platform developed by the NCS to replace the existing Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) II.

“The initiative is expected to modernise Customs operations, improve efficiency in trade documentation, and enhance revenue collection,” Adeniyi stated.

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Speaking on the project, he emphasised the importance of seamless integration between Customs and financial institutions, particularly in automating foreign exchange transactions and trade-related payments.

He explained that the new system was introduced following the contract’s expiration with the previous service provider, which had been extended multiple times before the government entered a new concession agreement in 2023.

“We began piloting the B’Odogwu programme at the Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) Area Command in Lagos and engaged all stakeholders, including the Central Bank.

Three months into the pilot phase, we integrated key trade documentation processes such as Form M and Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) but encountered initial challenges, particularly resistance from some of the Authorised Dealer Banks (ADBs),” Adeniyi noted.

Adeniyi also highlighted bottlenecks in the current manual process of communicating the prevailing exchange rate to the service by the apex bank for duty collection. He appreciated the Central Bank’s support and called for continued collaboration to ensure a smooth nationwide rollout of B’Odogwu.

In response, the Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, commended the Customs Service for its innovative approach and pledged his support in ensuring the initiative’s success.

“I am pleased to see a new direction in Customs operations. Collaboration is key, and we will continue to work closely to ensure seamless integration. Our commitment is to provide the necessary support so that the banking sector aligns with this transition,” Cardoso said.

He assured that the Central Bank would work towards ensuring compliance among commercial banks with directives to improve trade processes and enhance revenue collection efficiency.