By Uzor Odigbo
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has said that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are the best worldwide.
Adeniyi made the disclosure in a keynote address titled, “The Strategic Importance of Digital Infrastructure In Import Duty Collection And Accountability” which he delivered at the Finance and Business Online Publishers, FiBOP 2024 Capacity Building Workshop held in Lagos.
CG Adeniyi who was represented at the Workshop by CAC Tin Can Island command Dera Nnadi commended the service for producing such high profile ICT personnels for the service at a time they are mostly needed in this era of Modernisation in the service data collection.
On Nigeria Customs revenue generation, He revealed that the Nigeria Customs Services has generated the sum of Four Trillion, Two Hundred and Eighty Nine billion (N4,289,000,000) as revenue between the months of January and September 2024
Comparing the amount so far collected in the current year, he stated that “What this means is that we have already surpassed our 2023 collection by over N1 trillion even though the year has not yet ended. This will enable you to understand the enormity of the progress that we have made leveraging on digital technology.
“Let me also try to relate this to our 2022 revenue. The Service was able to collect N2.6 Trillion in 2022. So, you can see that we are making steady progress and this is possible because we are deploying digitalization, ICT and innovation in our business process.
“This year on year improvement on import duty collection shows a marked improvement by measures put in place by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks in the adoption of digital infrastructure for the customs processes.
“It also shows the huge investment in human capacity and infrastructure by the Nigeria Customs Service management in this and I must give kudos to the present Comptroller General of Customs who in less than one year of coming into office has been able to achieve this milestone.
“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate all our stakeholders that are paying this duty. Nigeria Customs Service owe you lots of gratitude. We also want to appreciate the maritime industry stakeholders particularly you, the Business and Financial Online Publishers who has been helping to project and create the great awareness for stakeholders who have been helping us to collect this revenue.
“We have also realized that when we integrate our stakeholders into what we are doing, we achieve more successes. One of the key components of the e-Customs modernization project is the integration of various stakeholders into one digital platform.
“Of course, you are aware that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated a Single Window platform which currently is being championed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service but you will also recall that even prior to this period, Nigeria Customs Service has over 43 stakeholders within the industry and beyond who are already hooked to the Nigeria Customs Service trade platform.
“One of the key components, like I said, of the e-Customs modernization project is the integration of stakeholders. This is aimed to promote transparency by ensuring that all parties from importers to port operators are involved, real time information sharing ensured that all parties are held accountable, reduce chances of fraud and discrepancies in duty collection”, he said.
Speaking on the importance of digital infrastructure in import duty collection, the Customs boss said, “This is important because import duty collection and accountability cannot be overemphasized. They include enhanced efficiency, speed, improved transparency, increased revenue and most importantly, integration of all the stakeholders.
“Digital Infrastructure automates key processes in import duty collection, minimizing errors and reducing delays. Systems like NICIS II streamlines import/export documentation, ensuring that duties are assessed in real time. The result is faster clearance process, free flow of goods through our ports and efficiency and most importantly, encouraging competitiveness within Nigeria and some neighbours.”
Noting that the NCS modernization project provided a transparent and traceable records of all transactions, he added, “One beauty of our process is that for every action I take on the system as a customs officer, it is not deleted. Even if I visit that system to view what my subordinates have done, the time I visited that system is recorded. If I make attempt to make an input to the process, it will record what I have done and it will record the time I did it and it will record my name and service number.
“This gives room to hold people accountable when there are misdemeanors. Digital platforms such as the e-payment system integrated into the NCS digital infrastructure allows for seamless import and duty payment and then reduce revenue leakage. By cutting down bureaucratic delays and simplifying payment processes, the NCS can as well ensure that more revenue is collected on time