The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have launched a joint reform strategy aimed at speeding up cargo clearance, reducing costs, and strengthening the country’s trade competitiveness.
This is part of efforts to fix Nigeria’s long-standing port inefficiencies.
The initiative, which signals a shift from policy formulation to measurable results, was unveiled at a three-day workshop held in Apapa, Lagos, which brought together key stakeholders across the port value chain.
At the centre of the reform is a five-pillar strategy announced by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, targeting persistent bottlenecks in port operations. The pillars include joint cargo inspections, adoption of risk-based clearance systems, optimisation of scanning infrastructure, strict enforcement of service timelines, and improved coordination among government agencies.
Adeniyi made it clear that the era of endless policy discussions must give way to concrete implementation, stressing that the Service is now focused on delivering consistent operational outcomes.
“This workshop is about closing the gap between knowing and doing,” he said, noting that global best practices must translate into real improvements at Nigeria’s ports.
He further highlighted the transition to intelligence-led cargo processing, explaining that ongoing investments in digital platforms and scanning technology are expected to significantly enhance transparency and reduce delays for importers and exporters.
To avoid the pitfalls of past reforms, the Customs boss disclosed that the workshop would produce a detailed reform execution matrix, which would be actively tracked and monitored at the highest level.
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“The reform implementation matrix will not end up in a filing cabinet. It will be closely monitored, and I will personally follow progress reports,” Adeniyi stated, while urging officers to demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and consistency in carrying out their duties.
On her part, Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, emphasised the urgent need to adopt smarter, data-driven inspection processes to reduce congestion and improve efficiency at the ports.
“We must move from inspecting everything to inspecting the right thing,” she said, noting that inefficient border processes have long contributed to high transaction costs and weakened Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
She added that transparent and predictable port operations are critical to improving the ease of doing business and attracting investment into the economy.
Industry observers say the success of the joint Customs-PEBEC initiative will depend largely on sustained enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, and the ability to institutionalise reforms beyond pilot phases.
For a country where port delays have historically inflated the cost of goods and slowed trade flows, the latest move represents a critical test of whether Nigeria can finally align reform ambition with real-world execution.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
