Customs Goes Digital with Automation of Overtime Cargo Clearance by 121 Days Window … As CGC Adeniyi says process will tackle Reckless Cargo Abandonment at Nigerian Ports

… As CGC Adeniyi says process will tackle Reckless Cargo Abandonment at Nigerian Ports

Customs Goes Digital with Automation of Overtime Cargo Clearance by 121 Days Window

… As CGC Adeniyi says process will tackle Reckless Cargo Abandonment at Nigerian Ports

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, CGC, Nigeria Customs Service

In an effort to curb the menace of incessant abandonment of goods at the Nigerian Ports, and to effectively address and tackle flippant overtime goods that littered its government warehouses across the country, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced an automation process for overtime cargo clearance.

This was disclosed at a recent maiden one day sensitization exercise with stakeholders on the automation of overtime cargo held at the Apapa Premier Customs Command of the service on Monday, September 15, 2025, which was characterized with robust educative lecture and interactive session.

The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR during his keynote address lamented the manner at which consignments are being neglected in various guises at the nation’s various ports with reckless abandon, and the enduring challenges to address the menace.

He however enthused that the newly introduced automation of overtime cargo clearance was imperative to, in one hand curb the habitual practice of deliberately abandoning consignments and on the other hand nipped in the bud import duty evasion antics of some importers. He further noted that the need to automate the process shall be of benefit to not only importers, but all maritime operators.

The CGC was however quick to disabused the minds of those that are of the opinion that the automation process was to shore up customs revenue, as he pointed that it is rather the opposite as he gave the example of the 2024 Six (6) Trillion revenue generated by the service, which have only less than One percent contribution from sales of overtime cargoes or auction in general.

Beyond that, Adeniyi who lamented in frustration that some of abandoned consignments cases that have stayed for over a period of about seven years at the ports are still being treated by the service, as he even mentioned a notorious on that keep popping up at every change in government for 15 years now. He said the automation development will create adequate space in the nation’s ports, and at same time will ease turn-around time port operations.

On the need to adequate sensitisation on the new development, the CGC said several of such sensitisation exercise shall be undertaken by the new zonal Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG,) Mohammed Babandede for importers, terminal operators, customs brokers and other relevant stakeholders in coming weeks, months ahead.

Meanwhile, in his earlier opening remarks, ACG Headquarters, ACG Isah Umar, while welcoming the participants to the August sensitisation meeting said that the automation of the overtime cargo clearance system wa as well a thoughtfully taken move by the NCS, to stem evasion of import duty payment in various guises, and  make the ports operationally clean to meet global best practices standard.

He was also filled with lamentation over some containerised goods that have stretched their deliberate abandonment status by importers for upward of seven years, as he revealed that most of the culprits goes through the back doors to have such consignments allocated to them as overtime cargoes, thus evading payment of duties, while as well depriving the affected bonded terminal of their revenues.

In same position with the CGC, he as well enjoined and appealed to importers, agents, shipping lines, terminal operators, and all other port operators to brace up for the forthcoming digital operation.

Highpoint of the event had robust lecture session first by CSC AA Abdulkadir from the headquarters who delivered papers on General Overview on Automation of the Overtime Cargo and Clearing System and second lecture by Assistant Comptroller of Customs IS Mohammed of the ICT Department, Sensitisation Team Lead who talked on the topic: ICT Process on Automation of the Overtime Cargo and Clearance System.

It was disclosed that, the automated overtime cargo clearance scheme is expected to have a maximum culminating grace period of 121 days from different progressive levels, stages to be attended to.

The stages include the first 31days clearance process from the day of the arrival of the consignment to be undertaken by the import itself and failure to succeed will have another extended grace of 61 days to be treated at the command level under the watch of the Customs Area Controller (CAC). If unresolved there is still have additional grace of 91days at the Zonal level under the purview of the Zonal Coordinator and lastly the final grace of 121day period to be handled at the Headquarters at Abuja, which may be involved the process of condemnation.

The interactive session was robust and educative, as the CGC and his officials were highly impressed by the turnout of stakeholders at the sensitisation meeting, as well as the wonderful observations, questions raised which the NCS said will be considered to guide and strengthen the automation process.