Nigeria Customs Launches One-Stop-Shop to Cut Cargo Clearance Time to 48 Hours

Nigeria Customs Launches One-Stop-Shop to Cut Cargo Clearance Time to 48 Hours

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has unveiled a new One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Initiative aimed at drastically reducing cargo clearance time from 21 days to just 48 hours.

The reform was introduced on Thursday, September 23, 2025, during a management meeting with Customs Area Controllers in Abuja, presided over by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi.

Describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy, Adeniyi said the initiative would streamline operations, curb duplication of efforts, and ensure greater transparency.

> “The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The OSS framework will bring all Customs units together to jointly handle flagged declarations, thereby eliminating multiple checks, reducing costs, and preventing re-interception of cleared consignments. A central dashboard will also track clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction, ensuring accountability across commands.

While acknowledging the impact of technology in Customs operations, Adeniyi stressed the importance of physical collaboration among officers.

> “Technology has helped us greatly, but it has its limits. Coming together under one roof adds weight and value to our deliberations and strengthens our unity of purpose,” he noted.

The CGC disclosed that the initiative would first be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports before a nationwide rollout. He further affirmed that the reform is fully backed by the NCS Act 2023 and consistent with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

Customs Area Controllers at the meeting pledged their full support for the reform, describing it as timely and crucial to repositioning the Service for efficiency. They assured the CGC of their readiness to drive the implementation in their respective commands.

> “This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly Customs Service,” Adeniyi concluded.