Connect with us

Customs

Customs introduction of logbook for vehicle clearance: recipe for confusion, corruption —-Farinto warns

Eyewitness reporter
Kayode Farinto, the Vice President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has condemned the introduction of the use of logbook by the Nigeria Customs Service for the clearance of vehicles at the nation’s ports.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had in a circular dated April 23, 2021, and signed by the Deputy Comptroller General (T&T) TM Isa,  states that Log Book is now a mandatory requirement for the clearance of used vehicles.
The new clearance policy has generated heated arguments among freight Forwarders, most of whom regarded the directive as archaic, medieval, retrogressive, and analog.
Lending his voice to the mounting criticism of the policy, Farinto warned of unsavory consequences of the new policy which he described as obnoxious.
In Lagos, the renowned industry critic, speaking yesterday expressed fears that the new policy will engender corruption among the customs officers and preponderance of forged log books among freight Forwarders.
According to him, the logbook has since been outdated and may be difficult to get as most of the tokunbo vehicles which come into the country may not have this logbook because of the long years of use by different owners.
This, he claimed, will create an avenue for customs officers to extort as they will insist on the logbook.
In like manner, Farinto declared that freight forwarders will resort to forging the book in a desperate attempt to comply with the policy.
A visibly angry freight forwarder wondered why the customs High Command should take the country back to the dark age of logbook in this modern age of the use of VIN to determine the age, make, manufacture date, and everything one needs to know about a vehicle.
He sneered at the competence and level of exposure of the customs authority to introduce a 1971 law in 2021.
Farinto advised the customs authority to withdraw the circular, which he claimed will create untold confusion as 70 percent of vehicles may carry logbooks written in foreign languages.
He declared that late Abdullahi Dikko, the immediate past CGC who was widely regarded as the architect of modern Customs, will turn in his grave at the laughable policy the Hameed Ali- led Customs has foisted on the trading public.
The ANLCA Chieftain, therefore, called for the review of the Customs and Excise and Management Act (CEMA) given its outdated sections and in a bid to reflect the modern realities in customs operations.
“I know that the relevant sections of the law quoted by the DCG were enacted in 1971 and it says if you are going to clear any vehicle in seaport, you must have what is called a logbook.

“The relevance of having the logbook then was to ascertain the model of the vehicle and year of manufacture.

“However, over the years in Customs operations viz a viz; WCO procedure, a lot of things have been put in place to ascertain the manufacturer, the year of manufacture and the body of the vehicle, and that thing is called VIN or title of the vehicle.

“70 percent of the logbook are not even written in English because they actually emanate from vehicles that are coming from Europe.

“If you recollect, a few weeks back, I said Customs is encouraging corruption because we do not have a uniform tariff on imported vehicles. And that necessitated this circular on the logbook. I still want to say that Customs is not getting it right.

“One of the seven key principles of Customs harmonisation, which was given to them by the former Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, is, if you are confused, consult your colleagues.

“Ordinarily, what this DCG who issued the circular on the logbook should have done was to consult his colleagues to look at what it is in line with the international best practice.

“If the WCO hears that Nigeria Customs Service is asking for logbook in this 21st century, it would become a laughing matter. We do not want Nigeria to be a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

“We advise Customs to look inward to withdraw the circular and advise itself so that there would be a better sense of direction.

“The issue of the logbook is an outdated thing, which is no more in practice around the world, 70 percent of the logbook are in a European language, which could be in German or Dutch language.

“Logbook actually emanated when Nigeria was doing importation through European countries. Now importation from Nigeria is beyond European nations. Nigeria now imports from China, America, and India.”

Meanwhile, the circular issued by the NCS gave a 90- day period after which the implementation and enforcement of the directive will commence.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Customs

KLT Customs reaffirms commitment to stronger maritime stakeholder engagement

Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter
‎
‎The Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun, has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to deepening engagement with stakeholders across the maritime industry in line with efforts to promote trade facilitation, transparency, and sustainable economic growth.
‎
‎Adigun gave the assurance through the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Administration, Comptroller T.A. Jonah, who represented him during a courtesy visit by the newly elected Executive Committee of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) to the Command in Lagos.
‎
‎The Acting CAC, who was unavoidably absent, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and key industry stakeholders, particularly the maritime media, in advancing the Service’s mandate and supporting national economic development.
‎
‎He described the media as a critical partner in disseminating information on government policies, customs reforms, trade facilitation initiatives, revenue generation, and anti-smuggling operations.
‎
‎According to him, maritime journalists occupy a strategic position in shaping public understanding and perception of activities within the port and maritime sector, stressing the need for professionalism, accuracy, and balanced reportage in the discharge of their duties.
‎
‎Adigun further assured the MARAN delegation that the KLT Area Command would continue to operate an open-door policy while fostering cordial and productive relationships with stakeholders within the maritime community.
‎
‎Earlier in his remarks, the President of MARAN, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, stated that the visit formed part of the association’s ongoing stakeholder engagement initiative following the inauguration of its newly elected executive committee.
‎
‎Onigbinde explained that the purpose of the visit was to formally introduce the new leadership of the association to the Command and strengthen the longstanding relationship between MARAN and the Nigeria Customs Service.
‎
‎He commended the KLT Area Command for its contributions to trade facilitation, revenue generation, and enforcement activities, describing the Command as a vital component of Customs operations within Nigeria’s port system.
‎
‎The MARAN President also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to professional, objective, and development-driven journalism, noting that maritime reporters play a significant role in promoting informed discourse on issues affecting the industry.
‎
‎He further assured the Command of MARAN’s continued support for initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness within Nigeria’s maritime sector through responsible and factual reporting.

Continue Reading

Customs

“You are worthy ambassador of Osun State” Oni of Ife eulogies Adeniyi’s leadership of Customs 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi II, has eulogized the sterling qualities of Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller- General of Customs, for his revolutionary leadership of the Nigeria Customs  Service.
The  first class Yoruba monarch made the commendation on Thursday, 28th May 2026, during the annual Eid-el-Kabir gathering hosted by the Comptroller-General at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.
The Oni, who cited President Bola Tinubu’s public commendation of Adeniyi as evidence of the confidence reposed in the Customs boss, described him as a good ambassador of Osun State and a source of pride to the ancient Ife Kingdom and the Modakeke community.
Oba Ogunwusi said President Tinubu’s public expression of satisfaction with Adeniyi’s performance reflected confidence in his leadership and the results being achieved by the Service.
“We are very proud of him and the work he is doing. When Mr President publicly expressed satisfaction with his performance, it was not a casual statement.
” It reflects trust in his capacity and the results he is delivering. What he is doing in the Customs Service and in the community shows that he is a unifier.”
Reaffirming the support of the Ife Kingdom for the Comptroller-General, the monarch declared:
“He brings people together, and that is what leadership is about. We will continue to stand by him and pray for him.”
Addressing guests, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the Ooni of Ife, community leaders, family members, friends, associates, and well-wishers for their continued support.
He described Eid-el-Kabir as a season that reminds humanity of the virtues of sacrifice, gratitude, obedience, and service to others.
According to him, beyond the celebration, the gathering provides an opportunity to reconnect with people, strengthen relationships, and reflect on the collective responsibility of building stronger communities and a better nation.
The CGC noted that the NCS has continued to record significant progress in revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling operations, technological innovation, and corporate social responsibility initiatives in line with the economic objectives of the Federal Government.
He said the Service remains focused on supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu through reforms aimed at facilitating legitimate trade, enhancing national security, improving compliance, and creating opportunities for economic growth.
CGC Adeniyi added that Customs has continued to invest in community-focused interventions across the country, including educational support programmes, healthcare initiatives, and other projects designed to improve the lives of Nigerians.
He pledged that the Service would continue to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its operations and delivering greater value to the nation, while assuring stakeholders of Customs’ commitment to professionalism, transparency, and service excellence.
Adeniyi also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and assured Nigerians of the Service’s continued support for government policies geared towards economic prosperity and national development.
Continue Reading

Customs

World Bank strengthens Customs capacity in post clearance Audit in two- week capacity building exercise

Gloria Odion,  maritime reporter 
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) in collaboration with the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, aimed at strengthening compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.
The workshop, which runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, is taking place at the Service’s  Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General , Babatunde Olomu, described the mission as a significant step in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive customs administration.
He noted that modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based, and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.
According to him, the mission offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices, and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework.
Olomu identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation, and integrated audit systems as key areas of focus.
He emphasised that effective Post Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency, and boosts public confidence.
“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system.” he stated.
The ACG commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to modernisation and capacity building and also appreciated the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support for Customs reforms.
He urged participants to actively engage throughout the programme and ensure that lessons learned are translated into measurable improvements in daily operations.
Speaking at the event, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission is designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools, and internationally recognised methodologies.
He explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques, and compliance management strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.
Kajubi stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems, and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring, and trade facilitation outcomes.
“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations.”He stated.
.
He expressed confidence that the engagement would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernisation objectives.
Lead Consultant for the ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue, and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.
He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms, and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to improve accountability and operational efficiency.
Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.
During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad  Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.
In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima encouraged participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the workshop and apply the knowledge gained to achieve the strategic objectives of the NCS.
Continue Reading

Trending