Stop attempt to withdraw $300m for e-customs project, NGOs tell Buhari

The Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria (FONGON) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop any attempt to withdraw $300 million from the comprehensive import service scheme/Nigeria export supervision scheme (CISS/NESS) accounts in respect of the e-customs project.

Last month, the federal executive council approved the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) modernisation project, also known as e-customs, despite a court order restraining the federal government from going on with the initiative.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Wole Badmus, national coordinator of FONGON, said Trade Modernisation Project Ltd, the new concessionaire, was registered in April 2022 and never participated in the negotiations on the e-customs modernisation project which started as far back as 2015.

“The HMOF and AGF simply looked the other way in order to allow TMPL access to the Comprehensive Import Service Scheme/Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme, (CISS/NESS) accounts without showing evidence of commensurate investments done as envisaged by the financial plan drawn by ICRC,” Badmus said.

“It was simply replaced with a clause to access the CISS/NESS account from the date of commencement.”

The FONGON coordinator said the desperation to access the CISS/NESS accounts before the departure of the current administration was “quite suspicious”.

“At the FEC briefing of 19 April, 2023 the Hon Minister of State for Finance, Clem Agba informed the nation that Trade Modernisation Project Limited is the new concessionaire and that they have already signed term sheet for the $300m first phase but failed to tell the nation that Nigeria Customs Service has already written to the HMOF requesting Trade Modernisation Project Limited to be included on the payment platform to commence draw down on the CISS/NESS accounts in clear violation of the Presidential directive,” Badmus said.

“The clear implication is that the so-called new concessionaire will make no investment but depend on the CISS/NESS account.

“We ask the EFCC to move fast and restrain illegal depletion and withdrawals from the CISS/NESS accounts of the Nigeria Customs Service.”