Customs

Litigation, suspicion stall implementation of E- Customs project

CGC, Ali

—As CGC Ali queries sincerity of House of Reps committee

Eyewitness reporter

Suspicion among the leading players in the execution of the E-Customs modernisation project may have stalled the final implementation of the multi-billion dollar project, three years after it was conceptualised.

It could be recalled that in 2019, the Federal government approved the engagement of a consortium of four firms to enter into a 20-year concession arrangement with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for a Customs modernisation project and establishment of digital and paperless Customs administration.

On September 2nd, 2020, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, ratified the NCS modernisation scheme estimated to cost about $3.1billion.

The presidential initiative on the NCS modernisation or “E-Customs Project” requires the establishment of a digital/paperless customs administration.

The government then approved the engagement of the consortium composed of Bionica Technologies West Africa, Bergan Security Consultants & Suppliers, Africa Finance Cooperation and Huawei to establish a project special purpose vehicle to enter into a 20-year concession arrangement with NCS and ICRC.

However, suspicion and misunderstanding among the Nigeria Customs Service, the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the concessionaires have dogged the implementation of the project.

It has also led to court cases from an aggrieved party in the project, Adani Mega System, who felt shortchanged in the process.

At the public hearing hosted by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Customs and Excise, Banking and Currency and Finance in Abuja on Monday to resolve the logjam, the session was also marred by an exchange of altercation between the Comptroller- General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali(rtd) who sent a representative and the committee members when the Customs lord makes a pass at the lawmakers.

In his presentation before the committee, the CGC, through his representative, the Assistant Comptroller General (ICT), Galadima Saidu, said he was curious that the House was resuscitating the issues on the project which the same committee had earlier treated and dispensed with.

Ali told the committee that the contractor; Adani Mega System Limited who was supposed to execute the project had been relieved of it.

In his submission, the CGC declared “investigations carried out by the Service revealed that Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited outsourced the agreement to an unauthorized third party Adani International Limited (UK) registered four months after the agreement was signed and the Company has since been dissolved ( Copy of the search result is hereby enclosed as Annex A).

“Therefore, the assertion by Adani Mega System Ltd that its international partner has a proven track record, capacity, expertise and competence to execute and operate within the project field covered by the agreement was false and misleading.

“It was upon the realization of this misrepresentation that the Committee on CISS canceled the agreement entered into with Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited, via a letter Ref:TED/DIR/GAM/GEN/Ol/OZS dated 18th September 2017 (Capy attached as Annex ‘B).

“It is worthy of note also that the House of Representatives Joint Committee On Finance, Customs and Public Petition passed a resolution suspending the Concession Agreement on e-Customs pending the outcome of an investigative hearing.

“The hearing was conducted and the Committee Vide a second letter NAS S/9/CHR/2019/JOINT/002 dated 20th December 2019 (Copy of the letter is hereby attached as Annex C) stated that after due consideration of the process towards the award, has found no breach in the award of the contract for the e-Customs Project.

“The committee recommended that the agreement be finalised and the Consortium awarded the Contract (Copy of the House Committee’s report is attached as Annex D). It is therefore curious that the same House is raising the issue over again.”

Apparently, the word “curious” as used by the Customs boss which was considered derogatory, unsettled the lawmakers, as a member of the Committee, Ndukwe Nkole, asked the Customs Comptroller General to withdraw the remark and tender an apology.

“The CG of customs in his address to this parliament, especially in paragraph 4, is very derogatory to the parliament and it is very wrong for a public officer, an appointed officer to address elected representatives, that he’s curious.

“So I demand that the CG of customs must apologise to this parliament for using such a derogatory statement on the parliament.”

However, rather than apologise, ACG Saidu, who represented the CGC, merely emphasised the importance of the project until he was prevailed upon by lawmakers before he reluctantly said “I apologise”.

At the same hearing on the “Need to Resolve the Debacle Between Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Technical Committee on Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and Adani Mega System Ltd Hindering the Take Off of Nigeria Customs Services E-Customs Modernization Project’, which was boycotted by the CBN, one of the leading parties to the project, the ministry of Finance informed the committee of how court cases have frustrated the take-off of the exercise.

In her presentation, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
Zainab Ahmed who was represented by the Director of Home Finance, Stephen Okon, informed the committee that the Finance Ministry was liaising with the Office of Attorney General to ensure quick resolution of the legal drawbacks so as to implement the project.

“There is no doubt, the pending cases are impeding the commencement of the E-Customs Project.

“In order to pave way for the take-off of the project, the ministry is liaising with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure that the arbitration is speedily concluded.

“This we believe could settle all the pending matters and allow the E-Customs project to commence without further delay”,

However, the Chairman of the committee, Leke Abejide, told the gathering about the concerns of the lawmakers over the delay in the implementation of the project which he claimed is causing Nigeria the loss of about $8.810 billion annually.

He expressed the belief that if the project is properly implemented, it will go a long way in reducing Nigeria’s vulnerability to external debts and also strengthen its currency.

“The cost of concession implementation over a 20-year period is $3.1 billion American Dollars and the project is projected to generate about $176.2 billion American Dollars within the 20 years Concession period.

“We equally understood the SPV is to recover their investment based on negotiated and staggered recovery strong ratio from the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS),” he said.

However, the public hearing was adjourned to March 4, 2022, to allow Adani mega systems, the litigant and the remaining parties such as the CBN to present their own submissions to the committee.

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Customs

Beer merchants panic over tax stamp policy, seeks solace from Customs

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The proposed Tax Stamp policy of the Federal government has expectedly activated panic mode among beer industry leaders who have expressed anxiety of possible escalation in the production and consumer costs if the policy is eventually implemented.

Though, there is an ongoing dialogue between stakeholders and the government to manage the economic impact of the policy, the leaders of the brewing sector had sought more clarification on the policy from the Nigeria customs service when they engaged with the Comptroller- General of the Service, Adewale Adeniyi on Monday, May 11th, 2026.

The brewers have come to discuss the economic impact the proposed policy will have on their brewing business.

At the roundabout discussion, Adewale had emphasised the need for credible data, inclusive consultations and sustained stakeholder engagement in Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal and regulatory reforms.

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‎Speaking during the engagement, CGC Adeniyi stressed that policy decisions affecting strategic sectors of the economy must be guided by verifiable data and a clear understanding of prevailing market realities.

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“‎We need to have a clear understanding of what constitutes illicit trade. Some of these products are legitimately manufactured in Nigeria.

“In other jurisdictions,customs administrations are already engaging in discussions around how such products find their way across borders and into unauthorised markets” the CGC stated.

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‎He further underscored the importance of accuracy and credibility in industry data presented to policymakers, noting that sound policy formulation depends on reliable information.

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‎“One thing we need to understand more clearly is where some of these estimates came from.

“When we are making policy decisions of this nature, the credibility and accuracy of data must never be in doubt,” he added.

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‎Highlighting the Service’s ongoing modernisation efforts, Adeniyi noted that the NCS has continued to introduce reforms aimed at improving trade facilitation and enhancing operational efficiency across the supply chain.

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‎“We have consistently introduced initiatives aimed at facilitating trade. We introduced the Advance Ruling. We introduced the Authorised Economic Operator programme.

“We also rolled out several reforms on our own initiative, not because we were under pressure, but because we recognised the need to improve trade facilitation,” he said.

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‎On the proposed tax stamp initiative, the CGC clarified that consultations with stakeholders are still ongoing and that no final decision has been reached regarding implementation.

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‎“As far as I am concerned, consultations are still ongoing. If this initiative is legitimate and beneficial, then we all have a responsibility to ensure that we are heading in the right direction,” he stated.

‎He also encouraged private-sector operators to maintain constructive engagement with relevant government agencies to ensure that any eventual policy framework balances revenue protection with industrial sustainability and economic growth.

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‎Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Girish Sharma, said the visit was aimed at presenting the industry’s position on the proposed tax stamp framework, which he noted has generated considerable discussion within the sector.

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‎Sharma acknowledged the importance of regulatory controls but maintained that the beer industry remains one of the most structured and highly regulated sectors in Nigeria, with limited exposure to counterfeiting risks.

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‎“We fully understand the purpose and importance of tax stamps, particularly in industries where counterfeiting is a major concern.

“However, within the beer sector, counterfeiting is minimal,” Sharma said.

‎He noted that existing compliance and monitoring systems already provide adequate visibility across production and distribution channels.

‎“From an end-to-end compliance perspective, we believe there is already sufficient transparency and oversight,” he added.

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‎Sharma also highlighted the industry’s contribution to employment generation, government revenue and economic growth, cautioning that additional regulatory measures should be carefully designed to avoid unintended impacts on the sector and the wider economy.

The 2026 tax stamp policy in Nigeria is a regulatory, security-focused, and mandatory track-and-trace system imposed by the government on excisable goods—including alcohol, tobacco, and sugar-sweetened beverages—to curb illicit trade and bolster revenue.

The policy, aimed at reducing smuggling and counterfeiting, requires high-security physical labels or digital codes to be affixed to products.

The policy applies to excisable products such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks, with specialized stamps for textile imports, such as the Red vs. Green stamps.

Manufacturers must ensure compliance. Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, compliance is required, and failure to stamp documents within 30 days can lead to severe penalties, including a 10% penalty fee plus interest.

While the government aims to enhance revenue, manufacturers, particularly in the brewing sector, have raised concerns that the policy could significantly diminish profitability and increase consumer prices, with potential to create 100% loss in profits if implemented as proposed.

Customs

At UNILORIN conference, Adeniyi advocates for human- driven technology for balanced developmental efforts

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

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‎The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to responsible digital transformation and innovation driven governance during his keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia.

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‎The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” was held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium.

The event attracted academics, communication experts, technology professionals, researchers, policymakers, and heads of government agencies to deliberate on the growing influence of digital innovation and artificial intelligence on governance, education, trade, and economic development.

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‎In his address, CGC Adeniyi stressed the importance of balancing technological advancement with human responsibility, noting that the future of the digital economy depends not only on artificial intelligence but also on ethics, leadership, and institutional capacity.

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‎“The digital age is, in the end, a human story, and the real test of our generation is not how powerful our machines become, but how wisely our societies choose to use them,” Adeniyi stated.

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‎He observed that disruptive technologies such as digital payments, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart systems have already reshaped global operations, adding that the world is no longer preparing for disruption but actively functioning within it.

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‎According to him, government institutions must ensure that technological innovation strengthens transparency, public trust, and operational efficiency without compromising accountability.

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‎Drawing from the Nigeria Customs Service’s experience, the CGC highlighted ongoing digital transformation initiatives, particularly the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, which has significantly improved trade facilitation, cargo processing, and inter-agency collaboration.

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‎He disclosed that the platform generated over N230 billion at the PTML Command within its first eight months of deployment, while cargo clearance timelines for compliant traders have been reduced to less than eight hours.

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‎“The partnership, not the rivalry, between human and artificial intelligence is where the real value lies,” he said, adding that technology delivers optimal results when guided by strong institutional values and ethical standards.

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‎Adeniyi further noted that although artificial intelligence enhances efficiency, risk management, and decision-making, human expertise and leadership remain indispensable to effective governance and enforcement.

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‎“Technology changes processes leadership and expertise still deliver the results,” he added.

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‎The CGC also called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and public agencies to develop practical solutions to emerging digital and governance challenges.

He urged academic institutions to move beyond theoretical learning and play a more active role in innovation and policy development.

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‎He identified areas where academia can support Customs modernisation efforts, including digital compliance systems, AI-driven risk management, public trust communication strategies, and the governance of cross border data flows.

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‎Adeniyi further advocated for the development of digital governance frameworks tailored to African realities, legal systems, and developmental priorities, emphasising that technological advancement must remain accountable to the people it serves.

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‎On the sidelines of the conference,the CGC engaged with heads of government agencies, scholars, communication professionals, traditional rulers, and institutional leaders on opportunities for collaboration in digital innovation, research, community development, and capacity building.

Customs

Oshoba, Apapa Customs boss, charges officers on discipline, revenue, trade facilitation

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has charged officers and men of the Command to intensify revenue generation, strengthen anti-smuggling operations and uphold professionalism and discipline in the discharge of their duties.

Comptroller Oshoba gave the charge during the Command’s monthly parade held on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, at the Command headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.

The Area Controller emphasized the need for greater operational interventions across terminals to block revenue leakages while ensuring seamless trade facilitation and timely cargo clearance.

“Officers must protect the reputation of the Service. That is why any delay by any officer concerning any consignment will not be tolerated.

“Even at the gates. If a consignment is duly exited, there should be no delay at the gates,” he stated.

He also urged officers to remain accessible and professional in their dealings with stakeholders.

“You must make yourself accessible to our stakeholders and we must avoid actions capable of tarnishing the good image of the Service and the good work being done by the CGC and members of his management.

“We should not be seen as slugs in the wheels of progress,” Oshoba added.

The CAC further called for heightened vigilance against smuggling activities, especially illicit drugs and prohibited items, while warning officers against misconduct and improper dressing.

Highlight of the parade was the recognition of outstanding Officers and Units for exemplary service.

Assistant Comptroller of Customs Ismail Mohammed emerged as the Most Outstanding Officer of the Month, while CSC Augustine Ondoma, ASCI Bukola Olaleye and IC Olalekan Salawu were recognized for professionalism, innovation and punctuality respectively.

Similarly, officers of APM Terminal received the Excellence Award on Enforcement, while Officers of ECO SUPPORT Terminal received the Excellence Award on Revenue Generation.

Comptroller Oshoba explained that the award initiative was introduced to encourage hard work, excellence, professionalism and healthy competition among Officers and Units of the Command.