By Peter Omopo
The (NCS) has announced plans to transition to a fully paperless system by the second quarter of 2026 as part of efforts to streamline operations and enhance trade facilitation.
The initiative is aimed at eliminating delays, reducing cargo dwell time and ensuring that only legitimate goods are cleared for circulation within the country.
Controller-General of Customs, , disclosed this in Lagos during the formal launch of the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Initiative.
One-Stop-Shop Targets Faster Clearance
According to Adeniyi, the OSS platform is designed to achieve a 48-hour cargo clearance window, lower compliance costs, strengthen revenue assurance and improve transparency. The launch was held under the theme, “Enhancing Trade Facilitation Through Integrated Risk Intervention, Faster Clearance Process and Efficient Dispute Resolution.”
He stated that the paperless process would commence with core clearance procedures, documentation and approvals, with full implementation expected before the end of the second quarter.
Adeniyi recalled the launch of the Authorised Economic Operator programme last year and noted that the OSS reflects the Service’s commitment, under the leadership of President , to predictable, transparent and accountable border processes that boost investment and competitiveness.
Describing the initiative as a smarter, technology-driven approach to cargo clearance, he said it would enhance accountability, efficiency, transparency and inter-agency collaboration.
Centralised, Technology-Driven Operations
Represented at the event by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Timi Bomodi, Adeniyi explained that the OSS serves as a central platform for intelligence gathering and operational coordination.
He noted that the system houses all relevant documents within the NCS, enabling more efficient coordination in customs operations, valuation and other port activities.
“The platform brings all relevant Customs Units under one operational roof, allowing joint review, examination and decision-making at a single point of contact,” he said.
The Controller-General assured stakeholders that the OSS would eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that often delay cargo release, adding that every flagged declaration would be handled transparently and collaboratively.
He further explained that delays at ports are frequently caused by fragmented procedures, overlapping checks and idle waiting times rather than inspections themselves. National assessments, including Nigeria’s Trade Policy Review at the and the Service’s Time Release Study, have identified these bottlenecks as drivers of increased trade costs and reduced investor confidence.
To address the challenges, Adeniyi said multiple checkpoints would be consolidated into a single decision-making framework, with interventions that are collective, auditable and aligned with institutional responsibility.
The OSS, he added, centralises valuation, processing centres, intelligence, enforcement, compliance monitoring and gate operations into a unified digital workflow. Digital tracking, automated alerts, joint inspections and shared dashboards will replace fragmented processes, ensuring traceability, accountability and coordination.
The NCS said the paperless initiative is expected to significantly improve cargo handling at Nigeria’s ports and enhance overall trade efficiency.
