The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has engaged maritime stakeholders on the transition to an automated licence and permit system aimed at streamlining port operations, improving efficiency and addressing clearance-related challenges.
The engagement, held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, brought together key players in the maritime industry as part of the Service’s ongoing efforts to modernise its operations through technology-driven reforms.
Speaking at the event, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Murtala Muazu, stressed the need for stakeholders to embrace the Service’s technological transformation.
Muazu disclosed that he had earlier participated in a meeting with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), where discussions focused on streamlining cargo clearance procedures and resolving technical challenges within the port ecosystem.
“Whether we like it or not, the Service is moving towards an innovative stance. Because of that, we must keep up with the nature of changes, and also the nature of technological development that is ongoing,” he said.
The Comptroller explained that the reforms were not intended to create additional difficulties for port users but to ease congestion, improve operational efficiency and open up greater opportunities within the maritime sector.
He encouraged participants to raise concerns and seek clarification on the new system, noting that the engagement would help bridge knowledge gaps and promote a smoother transition.
Also speaking, the Comptroller in charge of Licence and Permit, Ngozika Anozie, commended stakeholders for their collaboration and contributions towards developing the digital platform.
Anozie said the Service had fulfilled its commitment to automating the licence and permit process, describing the achievement as the product of teamwork and cooperation across its operational zones.
“We were here in this zone, likewise other zones all over the country, and we promised you that we are going to make licences and permits automated. Today, we have kept that promise,” she said.
The engagement also featured a delegation from the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Mentoring Mission Team.
The delegation visited the Apapa Command to explore areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening existing frameworks and tackling activities associated with money laundering.
The initiative underscores the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader drive towards digital transformation, improved trade facilitation and stronger regulatory compliance within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
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