In a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Oluwadare Oshoba said the new technology will revolutionise the trade process by ensuring faster and more accurate inspections. During a site inspection, Oshoba disclosed that the three scanners being installed at Apapa Port will have the capacity to examine as many as 200 containers per hour.
Describing the quayside location of the scanners as an “operational masterstroke,” the Customs Area Controller noted that consignments will undergo non-intrusive checks immediately after vessels berth. “No consignment will escape high-tech inspection at Apapa Port,” he assured stakeholders, stressing that the technology will significantly reduce delays while exposing concealments and false declarations.
The project is being delivered under the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), a public-private initiative aimed at digitising Nigeria’s trade ecosystem. TMP Team Leader, Aliyu Suleiman, confirmed that the fixed scanners are NUCTECH FS6000 models from China. The high-throughput drive-through systems can scan trucks and containers in a single pass at speeds of up to 15 km/h, generating dual-energy X-ray images capable of detecting concealed contraband and hazardous materials.
Suleiman added that the scanners’ modular design allows for relocation and integration with advanced systems such as License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). In addition to the three fixed units — two provided by TMP and one by APM Terminals — a mobile scanner will serve as backup in case of downtime.
Comptroller Oshoba commended Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for championing the modernisation agenda, noting that officers will undergo “train-the-trainer” sessions to ensure smooth deployment and effective maintenance. He advised ICT officers to strengthen capacity building for tier-one and tier-two levels of scanner servicing, describing it as a “first-of-its-kind achievement in West and Central Africa.”
The Customs boss also urged importers, exporters, and clearing agents to embrace sincere declarations, warning that the advanced technology will expose false documentation and smuggling attempts. “The arrival of these scanners is one of the many benefits of the modernization project. It will save time, increase revenue, enhance national security, promote trade, and prevent port-related crimes from the earliest point of entry,” he said.
The installation is scheduled to be completed within 45 days, after which the scanners will be fully deployed, marking what Customs officials describe as a major milestone in Nigeria’s port modernisation journey.