The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up engagement with key industry regulators as part of efforts to resolve initial challenges trailing the rollout of its flagship digital platform, the Unified Customs Management System, popularly known as B’Odogwu.
In a high-level consultation held in Abuja on Monday, August 19, 2025, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, met with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Ukeyima. The meeting was convened at the Customs Headquarters, bringing together senior officials from both agencies.
The talks came against the backdrop of rising concerns among freight forwarders and Licensed Customs Agents over delays and demurrage charges linked to the B’Odogwu platform. Many operators had complained that the teething problems were already eating into their profits and causing disruptions in cargo clearance.
During the closed-door session, Dr. Ukeyima presented feedback gathered from freight operators. He highlighted operational hiccups relating to system integration, documentation inconsistencies, and port logistics.
According to him, these challenges, if not swiftly addressed, could trigger financial losses and weaken confidence in the reform.
He stressed the need for urgent interventions, calling on Customs to provide more responsive solutions that would minimise delays and stabilise the supply chain. “Freight forwarders and shippers are partners in trade facilitation. Their operations cannot be left to suffer under the weight of systemic delays,” he warned.
Responding, the Customs chief acknowledged the concerns raised but reaffirmed that the B’Odogwu project was a non-negotiable step in the Service’s modernisation drive. He explained that the platform was designed to deliver a transparent, technology-driven clearance process that would place Nigeria on par with global trade standards.
Adeniyi assured stakeholders that Customs had anticipated transitional challenges. He noted that measures were already underway to refine the system through phased upgrades, stakeholder consultations, and targeted improvements. “Reforms of this magnitude come with teething problems, but our commitment is to resolve them systematically,” he stated.
The CGC emphasised that B’Odogwu was not merely a Customs tool but a unifying trade platform that would integrate multiple players into a single digital ecosystem. He maintained that, once fully stabilised, the system would reduce clearance timelines, cut costs, and drive higher compliance levels.
Both Customs and the Shippers’ Council agreed that continuous dialogue remained essential in navigating the early phase of the rollout. They pledged to expand consultations to include shipping lines, terminal operators, and other stakeholders whose operations intersect with Customs procedures.
The agencies also highlighted the need to protect operators from avoidable costs during the transition period. According to Customs, special measures are being developed to reduce exposure to demurrage and related penalties while the system stabilises.
For the Shippers’ Council, the meeting was an opportunity to press for greater inclusiveness in policy implementation. Dr. Ukeyima insisted that reforms of such scale must prioritise the practical realities of those who move goods daily across ports and terminals.
The engagement also shed light on the indigenous character of the B’Odogwu platform. Unlike past systems, which were largely foreign-driven, B’Odogwu was built locally to suit Nigeria’s trade environment while boosting government revenue and national competitiveness.
Customs has since urged all operators to support the reform, noting that constructive feedback would be crucial in fine-tuning the platform. Adeniyi assured that the Service was committed to building a modernised trade ecosystem that promotes efficiency and national development.
At the end of the meeting, both agencies issued a joint understanding: the success of B’Odogwu lies not only in technology but in collaboration. As reforms unfold, stakeholders are expected to play their part in ensuring that Nigeria’s ports remain competitive, transparent, and globally aligned.