Odita Sunday 
Customs Unveils One-Stop-Shop Platform, Targets Faster Cargo Clearance, Transparent Border Processes
The Nigeria Customs Service has launched a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) platform aimed at eliminating cargo clearance delays and strengthening transparency across Nigeria’s borders.
Delivering the keynote address in Lagos, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, described the initiative as a continuation of reforms focused on trust and partnership with the trading community.
He recalled that the Service had earlier introduced the Authorised Economic Operator programme, noting that the new initiative deepens engagement with stakeholders.
“This gathering carries a special sense of continuity and purpose… today we deepen trust, strengthen transparency and reinforce fair and predictable processes,” he said.
Adeniyi explained that the new platform addresses longstanding complaints about delays, multiple checks and unpredictable interventions affecting trade and investment.
“While inspections take only a few hours, consignments spend several days in idle waiting due largely to uncoordinated procedures and system gaps,” he stated.
According to him, the OSS centralises valuation, enforcement, intelligence and compliance processes into a coordinated workflow supported by digital tracking.
“The platform collapses multiple checkpoints into one coordinated decision space through automated alerts, joint inspections and shared dashboards,” he added.
He said the system supports a 48-hour clearance target, reduces compliance costs and improves revenue assurance through better profiling and coordinated enforcement.
“These outcomes align with WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement evidence that effective reforms can reduce trade costs by over 14 per cent,” Adeniyi noted.
The Customs boss also disclosed plans for a paperless customs environment beginning in the second quarter of 2026.
He emphasised that the reform aligns with broader economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Our objective remains consistent: facilitate legitimate trade without compromising control,” he said, urging stakeholders to utilise the platform responsibly.
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