In a major push to transform Nigeria’s trade ecosystem, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched its One-Stop-Shop (OSS) platform — an integrated digital system designed to ensure cargo clears Nigerian ports within 48 hours.
Unveiled on Friday at the Marriott Hotel in Ikeja, the platform drew regulators, manufacturers, freight forwarders and customs agents, many of whom described the reform as a long-awaited breakthrough for port efficiency and ease of doing business.
Representing Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, Deputy Comptroller-General (Enforcement and Investigation), Timi Bomodi, said the OSS marks a decisive shift from fragmented manual processes to coordinated, technology-driven governance.
According to Adeniyi, chronic port delays stem largely from uncoordinated procedures and systemic inefficiencies. The new platform consolidates key operations—valuation, intelligence, compliance monitoring and enforcement—into a unified digital workflow supported by real-time tracking and shared decision dashboards.
“We are moving toward a paperless environment, with the first rollout phase scheduled within the year to further reduce human interface and processing delays,” he stated.
The Customs chief outlined key benefits of the initiative, including faster clearance timelines, lower compliance and transaction costs for businesses, improved revenue assurance, stronger post-clearance audit controls, and enhanced export competitiveness.
He added that the OSS aligns with the Federal Government’s “One Government” directive by harmonizing inspections and promoting seamless inter-agency information sharing.
Deputy Comptroller-General (Tariff and Trade), Caroline Kemen Niagwan, recalled that discussions around a unified platform began in 2018 but were stalled by coordination challenges. She said the new system centralizes risk management under a single digital interface, eliminating the “multiple checkpoints” that have long inflated costs and frustrated importers.
“The One-Stop-Shop platform brings all relevant units under one coordinated system to ensure faster and more predictable clearance,” she said, urging stakeholders to maintain discipline for its success.
Private sector leaders welcomed the move. Chief Emenike Nwokeji, President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), pledged members’ full support, expressing optimism that the reform would revitalize trade operations.