No Details On FG’s $3.2bn Modernisation Project – Customs

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it was not aware of the details of the Customs $3.2 billion modernisation project.

The comptroller-general of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, made this disclosure when he appeared before lawmakers at the National Assembly.

He was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General Mba Musa at a public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committees scrutinising the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, led chairmen of the Appropriations, National Planning, Local and Foreign Debt panels to conduct the investigative hearing.

The senators inquired from the Customs CG details of the agreement signed by the federal government on the Modernisation of Nigeria Customs.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in April 2023 approved the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) modernisation project, also known as e-customs, despite a court order restraining the Buhari administration from going on with the initiative on the eve of its departure from office.

The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari specifically approved the implementation of the Customs modernisation project to a concessionaire.

The concessionaire is Bergman Securities Consultant and Suppliers Limited as the project sponsor, Africa Finance Corporation as lead financier while Huawei Technologies will be trained as lead technical service provider.

However, stakeholders have condemned the project, saying will not only mortgage the future of the Service but also was inimical to national security.

Speaking on the modernisation project before the Senate joint panel, Mba told the lawmakers that the Nigeria Customs Service was not privy to details of the modernisation agreement.

He also declared that the Service lost N1.3trn in 2023 due to waivers and concessions the President Muhammadu Buhari administration granted to investors.

Obviously not comfortable with the arrangement, Musa, the chairman of the Joint committee, said the Senate would commence investigation into granting of waivers and concessions in the country.

He said, “By now we shouldn’t be talking about concessions for cement manufacturers; we should not even be talking about sugar importation.

“We should not deny ourselves revenues that we should generate to make our economy vibrant. By now, we should be consolidating on waivers given to boost revenues.

“We would review the waivers and make our recommendations. By now, you (NCS) should be meeting your projected target if there was no waiver,” Musa added.