The Federal Government is expected to generate over $250 billion in revenue through the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing modernization project.
The NCS disclosed this on Tuesday.
It said the CMP aims to automate the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) business processes, simplifying and enhancing the experience of stakeholders in the trade value chain. This will streamline procedures, making it easier to obtain import and export clearances.
The NCS has successfully tested the utilization of drones and body cameras to combat smuggling at borders, paving the way for their deployment as part of the Customs Modernisation Project.
It disclosed this during the media tour and sensitisation of the Trade Modernisation Project activities in Abuja, where the service provided details about the functions of the TMP.
In a document made available to journalists by the TMP on the frequently asked questions about the Customs Modernisation Project, it was stated that the initiative would significantly grow the Federal Government’s revenue.
“The major advantage of the project is the significant growth in the revenue profile of the Federal Government. The project will generate in excess of $250bn for the Federal Government over the life of the concession.
“The project will bring Nigeria at par with the rest of the world in the deployment of technology to facilitate international trade. The economic diversification activities of the Federal Government will receive a strong boost by providing further ease of cross-border trading,” it stated.
The Customs Modernisation Project involves a public-private partnership framework which entails that the project sponsor incorporates a special-purpose vehicle.
The SPV in this case is the Trade Modernisation Project Limited, which is the concessionaire handling the project for a 20-year period that started in 2022.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the tour, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, Bukola Omoniyi, explained that various software had been deployed in the project to counter smuggling and boost revenue for the country through the NCS.
“We have the geospatial intelligence software. Presently our officers have already done geo-mapping and the geo-location of all NCS offices. With the software on that table, it can show you the location of all customs offices that we have presently.
“And with that, we are introducing body cameras. All these will be connected to the system, and when it is connected, it means you can physically see the presence of officers.
“The software also helps us to monitor satellite feeds that will tell you if there’s danger anywhere. We also have drones that are to be deployed in this project and with the satellite feeds from all these we will be able to have our eyes everywhere,” she stated.
Omoniyi added, “This will feed information to our enforcement officers, and even though they are going as a team, they will not be going in blind to any location. We’ve done the testing and this means we can monitor their movements, monitor the smuggling of goods, etc.”
Also speaking at the event, Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer, NCS, stated that the overall objective of the Customs Modernisation Project was to deploy a comprehensive solution across the administrative and operational activities of the service.
He explained that this initiative aligns with the service’s core objectives, which include efficient tariff collection, border security, smuggling prevention, and accurate tracking of goods movement across Nigeria’s borders.
The General Manager of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Ahmed Ogunshola, stated that the project aims to design and implement a robust technology framework, deploy cutting-edge technology across all Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) sites within the agreed timeline, and provide comprehensive training to ensure a sustainable and successful implementation.
“By the time the project is fully implemented, it will cover all areas of customs activities, including duties collection, clearance operations and suppression of smuggling,” Ogunshola stated.
