Customs unveil indigenous software to boost cargo clearance

The Nigeria Customs Service has said that multiple failures of foreign software technology to ensure seamless cargo clearance procedures at the ports have pushed the service to develop indigenous modernisation software.

The service said the software, ‘B’odogwu,’ was invented after years of technology glitches that had cost the country a huge revenue loss.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited on Wednesday at Tincan Island, Lagos during an on-the-spot assessment of the project.

Recall that importers and agents have been lamenting continuous server downtime delaying the clearing process and documentation at the nation’s seaports, costing them huge losses to demurrage.

Adeniyi said the software follows experiences with previous service providers who, “despite multiple contract extensions, failed to meet their deliverables and failed to handover at the end of their contract,”

“It is disappointing when organisations fail to leverage their extended presence in Nigeria to build credible reputations that could benefit them both locally and internationally. Foreign systems have failed Nigeria as the number of times it has been down is more than the times it has been up,” Adeniyi lamented.

According to him, the service cannot continue to wait for these service providers to rectify their systems and handover to the service, “so we decided to develop an indigenous system and jettisoned foreign systems, especially the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System, which has expired since December 2022”.

He said the new system would enhance the ability to streamline end-to-end business processes, provide stakeholders with customised integration capabilities, support more efficient and intelligent business decisions, and facilitate ease of doing business.

Adeniyi stated that B’Odogwu is designed to complement ongoing attempts to leverage artificial intelligence and mixed reality technologies in customs administration.

He highlighted that the platform aligns with the service commitment to maintaining strong, resilient, open, and prosperous borders that epitomise the legal, policy, and strategic commitments of the NCS.

Adeniyi said PTML has received upgraded network infrastructure to meet modern demands.

He mentioned that the country sees more complexities in declarations and addresses the peculiarities in trade characteristics.

He, however, added that the service is also launching a verification platform for agents, “which automates agents’ registration for licenses and permits.”

Acknowledging the challenges that might arise during the rollout, Adeniyi assured stakeholders of the NCS’s readiness to address potential issues.

 He emphasized that a technical support team would be on hand to resolve any difficulties encountered, ensuring a smooth transition.