The Comptroller-General of the NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, revealed the plan on Tuesday in Apapa, highlighting a transformative shift toward technology-based inspections aimed at reducing congestion, expediting cargo clearance, and enhancing security across Nigeria’s seaports.
Adeniyi made the disclosure during the commissioning of the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Analytical Arena, a new two-storey facility that houses the Customs analytics centre, Intelligence Unit, clinic, and strategic offices. The facility, which was inaugurated alongside other tech-focused infrastructure in Apapa, is part of the Service’s broader strategy to rely on data analytics to minimize manual checks.
“Physical examinations will be completely phased out by December 2026, as the Service would then focus on scanning machines and data analytics,” Adeniyi stated.
The NCS boss said the strategic objective is to dramatically increase the proportion of cargo subjected to scanning across all major entry points, including Apapa, Tincan Island, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar, before the end of the year.
He noted that current practices in Apapa still show heavy reliance on manual inspection. Latest data indicates that out of consignments processed, 21,373 were handled via physical checks (Red channel), compared with 3,236 scanned (Orange), 5,490 documentary checks (Yellow), 1,118 Blue, and 149 Green channel consignments.
Adeniyi emphasized that expanding scanning coverage at major ports would significantly reduce bottlenecks, accelerate cargo clearance, and strengthen security measures, aligning the Customs Service with modern, technology-driven global standards.