The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours, a significant improvement from the current 21 days.
The initiative was unveiled by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during a meeting with NCS Management and Customs Area Controllers in Abuja.
The OSS framework allows all Customs Units to work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays. Consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, a move aimed at reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.
Adeniyi described the OSS as a “transformative shift” in line with global best practices and the federal government’s Ease of Doing Business policy. He emphasised that the reform is designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure predictability in Customs procedures.
The initiative is expected to strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make Customs operations more business-friendly.
The NCS has also introduced a central dashboard to track clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction.
The OSS initiative will be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide. The Customs Area Controllers have pledged their full support for the initiative, describing it as timely and necessary to reposition the Service for efficiency.
The NCS Act 2023 and the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) support the OSS initiative.
The Comptroller General assured that the reform reflects the Service’s determination to build a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly Customs Service.