The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has opened high-level consultations with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to address operational hitches arising from the rollout of its Unified Customs Management System, popularly known as B’Odogwu.
The meeting, held on Monday, August 19, 2025, at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, brought together the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Dr. Akutah Ukeyima. Discussions centred on concerns raised by freight forwarders and licensed customs agents over delays, demurrage, and other teething problems linked to the platform.
Dr. Ukeyima conveyed industry feedback on system integration, documentation, and port logistics, urging swift intervention to limit financial losses and disruptions in the cargo clearance chain.
In response, Adeniyi reaffirmed that B’Odogwu remains a flagship project under the Customs Modernisation Programme, designed to deliver a transparent, technology-driven, and globally competitive clearance system. He assured stakeholders that transitional challenges would be systematically addressed through phased upgrades, structured engagement, and continuous system improvements.
Both agencies agreed to sustain dialogue with other industry players, including shipping lines and terminal operators, to streamline processes and mitigate costs.
According to Customs, the indigenous B’Odogwu platform is built to centralise operations, integrate stakeholders, cut clearance timelines, reduce costs, boost compliance, and strengthen revenue generation. The Service appealed for stakeholder support and constructive feedback to ensure the success of the reform.
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