The Nigeria Customs Service has launched a fully automated licences and permits system to cut costs and accelerate trade processes, signalling a major shift from paper-based procedures to digital access for businesses nationwide.
Announcing this at a stakeholders’ forum in Ikeja, Lagos, Assistant Comptroller-General and Zone A Coordinator Muhammed Babandede said the move ends years of delays, queues and uncertainty tied to manual processing. He said under the new platform, traders and agents can apply for or renew licences remotely, track applications in real time and receive faster, standardised approvals without visiting Customs offices.
Babandede said the automation aligns with the Customs Comptroller-General’s agenda of consolidation, collaboration and innovation to facilitate trade. The system is expected to improve transparency, curb fraud through digital document verification and enable officers to process higher volumes efficiently.
He said nationwide sensitisation and training are under way ahead of full rollout, urging stakeholders to embrace the digital transition designed to simplify compliance and strengthen revenue performance.