NCS, PEBEC launch strategic reform agenda to boost port efficiency
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has unveiled a strategic reform initiative aimed at improving port operations, accelerating cargo clearance, and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
The launch took place at the opening of a three-day operational workshop in Apapa, themed “Customs Leadership in Port Efficiency, Inspection Reform and Clearance Timeline.” The event brought together senior customs officials, PEBEC representatives, and other trade stakeholders to chart a roadmap for more efficient and transparent port management.
Speaking at the workshop, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, outlined a five-pillar strategy targeting joint inspections, risk-based cargo clearance, optimisation of scanning infrastructure, enforcement of service timelines, and enhanced inter-agency coordination.
Adeniyi emphasised that the focus is no longer on policy formulation but on consistent execution.
“This workshop is about closing the distance between knowing and doing. The Service must now focus on translating established best practices into consistent operational outcomes,” Adeniyi said.
He further highlighted the shift towards intelligence-led cargo processing, noting that investments in digital platforms and scanning systems must translate into faster and more transparent clearance processes for traders.
To ensure accountability, Adeniyi announced that a reform execution matrix would be developed during the workshop and closely monitored. He called on officers to uphold professionalism, integrity, and commitment in implementing the reforms.
“The reform implementation matrix will not end up in a filing cabinet. It will be actively monitored, and I will personally follow the progress reports.
The professionalism, commitment, and integrity that this workshop asks of are qualities you need to acquire. I am therefore asking you to deploy them consistently, not selectively,” he said.
In her remarks, PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, stressed the need for data-driven, risk-based inspection systems to cut costs and enhance efficiency.
“We must move from inspecting everything to inspecting the right thing,” Mustapha-Audu said, noting that efficient and transparent border processes are critical to reducing costs and strengthening Nigeria’s trade position.
Earlier, Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, highlighted the NCS’s central role in trade facilitation and economic growth, stressing that operational efficiency must extend across all commands.
As part of the engagement, the CGC and PEBEC delegation also visited the National Single Window facility, meeting with Nigeria Revenue Service Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, and other stakeholders to assess progress and address operational gaps.
