The Federal Government has called for the transformation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) into a world-class institution capable of delivering faster, more efficient and transparent cargo clearance at the country’s ports.
According to The Nation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, gave the charge when he visited the NCS headquarters in Abuja this week and chaired the Service’s board meeting for the first time since his appointment as Finance Minister.
Oyedele said Customs must move beyond announcing reforms and focus on measurable improvements that businesses and Nigerians could see in the movement of goods, collection of revenue and management of the country’s borders. According to him, Nigeria needs a Customs system that can compete with the best in the world and support the country’s ambition to become a stronger player in international trade. “Nigeria must lead through performance, not rhetoric,” the minister said.
He said the government expected the Service to tackle the delays and other obstacles that make it difficult for businesses to move goods through Nigerian ports. Oyedele said the government’s expectations included removing bottlenecks at the ports, ensuring transparency from the beginning to the end of Customs procedures, reducing the time required to clear cargo and maintaining strict standards in the collection of government revenue.
The minister’s position comes at a time when the efficiency of Nigerian ports and the cost and speed of cargo clearance remain important concerns for importers, exporters, manufacturers and other businesses involved in international trade. Long clearance procedures, multiple checks and delays can increase the cost of moving goods and reduce the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses. Faster and more predictable Customs procedures, on the other hand, can help businesses plan better and reduce costs.
Oyedele said recent improvements recorded by Customs should serve as a basis for further reforms rather than a reason for the Service to relax. “Results are precisely what should propel us to do more,” he said. He urged Customs officers to regard their responsibilities as part of the wider effort to grow the Nigerian economy, rather than seeing their duties only as border-control functions.
The minister said Customs officers were positioned at a critical point in the country’s economic system because their decisions affect trade, government revenue, businesses and the movement of goods across Nigeria’s borders. “I urged every officer to see themselves not just as border administrators, but as frontline drivers of Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness,” he said. Oyedele also assured the Service that the Federal Government would continue to provide the technology, equipment and policy support required to improve its operations.
He said government support would be tied to the expectation that Customs would use the additional capacity to deliver better results. Before the board meeting, the minister inspected parts of the Customs headquarters and reviewed recent investments by the Service in technology and intelligence capabilities. He commended the leadership and personnel of the NCS for the progress made in revenue generation and trade facilitation, but said the gains must be followed by further improvements.
