The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced a streamlined cargo clearance framework under its One Stop Shop (OSS) initiative aimed at accelerating trade processes across the country’s ports.
The system is designed to improve efficiency, strengthen transparency and support ongoing reforms in customs operations.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Mohammed Babandede said the success of the OSS depends on truthful declarations by importers and agents.
He urged stakeholders to prioritise accuracy in documentation, noting that insincere declarations undermine the platform’s purpose.
Babandede said the Service is engaging industry operators to ensure they understand the workings of the new system.
He described stakeholder interaction as essential for building trust and ensuring seamless implementation.
Assistant Controller Olawale Onigbanjo, Project Manager for the Apapa OSS, said the initiative integrates all major customs functions into a single digital environment.
He explained that the platform reduces duplication, accelerates decision-making and cuts delays previously caused by fragmented processes.
Under the OSS, importers submit declarations through the Bodobo platform, after which the Customs Processing Center conducts risk assessments on all entries.
Non-compliant declarations are flagged for additional checks, while compliant ones move through the system without delay.
Onigbanjo said valuation, intelligence and enforcement units now collaborate simultaneously on one platform, enabling joint reviews and faster resolution of discrepancies.
He added that physical examinations are conducted only when necessary, with demand notices issued digitally and seizures initiated in cases of confirmed non-compliance.
Disputes are now resolved within 14 hours at the initial level, while escalated cases that once took up to 21 days are settled in as little as 48 hours.
Cargo release is authorised digitally once all requirements are met, with clearance status visible to all participating agencies.
Onigbanjo said the initiative supports the reform agenda of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, who has prioritised professionalism, compliance and digital transformation.
Industry operators have welcomed the OSS, saying it brings Nigeria closer to international best practices and enhances the country’s competitiveness in global trade.
