Trade Modernisation Project: Automating Nigeria customs processes on track

Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited says it has made “significant” progress in its efforts to automate the processes of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The NSC is targeting $200 billion in revenue for the federal government when the project, which was inaugurated in June 2023, is completed. TMP said it would invest $3.2 billion in 20 years.

Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Ahmed Ogunsola, TMP’s general manager (GM), said his company is not taking over any customs operations but providing systems for efficient service delivery.

“This is a 20-year project that commenced in 2022. We are currently in phase one, and we will move to phases two and three at the appropriate time. We have made significant deliverables with the project,” Ogunsola said.

“Customs will continue to perform all customs activities; none of those have been concessioned to anyone. They will continue to man all their stations.

“All we are doing is providing systems and platforms as well as services that enhance those functions and activities of the NCS.

“Phase one of the project covers year one to six, phase two covers years seven to 13; phase three is year 14 to year 20.

“Phase one is that all systems must be deployed, hardware, software, technological services. Phase two we continue to manage.

“In phase three, we also do that but the significance is that TMP will take a back seat and customs officers will now be the ones doing the work.”

Abdullahi Maiwada, spokesperson of the NCS, said it is necessary to give an update to stakeholders and the public on the project.

“This project started some years ago, and we need to update members of the press, the public, and generally our stakeholders on what we are doing so far in trade facilitation, which is the core and at the centre of what we are doing,” Maiwada said.

“The benefit of the trade modernisation project, let me be more specific with you is in terms of trade facilitation, efficiency in customs delivery, and in terms of revenue generation. That is the essence of mordenisation.

“Automation of our processes and procedures is part of our efforts to make sure that we facilitate trade and effectively collect revenue for Nigeria.”