The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the full automation of its licences and permits processes. This reform aims to eliminate paperwork bottlenecks, reduce port delays, and strengthen revenue assurance across Nigeria’s trade corridors.
The initiative was formally introduced yesterday at a sensitisation programme at the Customs Training College Auditorium, Ikeja, Lagos, with similar engagements taking place simultaneously across all Customs zones nationwide—signalling the Service’s readiness for a coordinated digital rollout.
The programme was anchored by Comptroller Ngozika Anozie, Comptroller of the Licences and Permits Unit under the Tariff and Trade Department. It was attended by the Zonal Coordinator of Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Mohammed Babandede, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
Customs officials said the automation drive is designed to dismantle long-standing inefficiencies associated with manually processing trade licences and permits, which have often slowed cargo clearance and increased transaction costs for importers and logistics operators.
Under the new system, applications and renewals can now be completed entirely online. Applicants can track their status in real time from any location, removing the need for physical visits to Customs offices or the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.
Addressing stakeholders, Babandede described the automation as a turning point in Customs service delivery. He stressed that Zone A, the country’s most economically active zone, carries a major responsibility in ensuring the transition succeeds.
