The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has showcased its digital transformation initiatives at the 2026 World Customs Organisation (WCO) Smart Customs Project Global Event in Brussels, Belgium, highlighting its growing adoption of technology, artificial intelligence and data-driven solutions to modernise Customs operations.
The two-day event, held from October 29 to 30, 2026, at the WCO Headquarters, brought together Customs administrations, technology experts and international stakeholders to explore how emerging technologies can strengthen border security, improve operational efficiency and facilitate legitimate global trade.
Nigeria was represented by Assistant Comptroller Omolara Adedeji, who presented the Service’s digital transformation journey and outlined its progress towards establishing a technology-driven Customs administration.
During her presentation titled “Nigeria Customs Service: The Journey Towards Smart Customs,” Adedeji highlighted the Service’s transition from conventional, manual processes to integrated digital operations under its ongoing Modernisation Project.
She identified the development and deployment of B’Odogwu, the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), as a major milestone in the transformation, noting that the platform is strengthening automation, electronic processing, data-driven decision-making and collaboration with government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as private-sector stakeholders.
According to her, the Service is pursuing a deliberate shift towards smarter and more integrated Customs operations through investments in digital infrastructure, technology and institutional capacity.
She identified smart technology and smart data as the two fundamental pillars of Nigeria’s Smart Customs vision.
While smart technology focuses on automation, integrated systems, digital platforms and modern information and communications technology infrastructure, smart data emphasises intelligence-led interventions, data-driven risk management, analytics and improved information sharing.
Adedeji also stressed the importance of human capital development, explaining that sustained digital transformation requires continuous personnel training, technical upskilling and the development of a workforce capable of driving technological innovation.
She further highlighted the application of geospatial technology in fleet management, asset management and the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS), demonstrating the Service’s expanding use of digital solutions beyond Customs declarations to improve operational monitoring, resource management and cargo visibility.
On emerging technologies, she identified Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, predictive analytics, non-intrusive inspection, integrated border management, interoperability and real-time operational intelligence as priority areas in the Service’s modernisation agenda.
She noted that the NCS was moving beyond basic process automation towards intelligent Customs operations capable of anticipating risks, strengthening enforcement and facilitating seamless trade.
The event also featured the formal launch and presentation of the updated WCO Study Report on Disruptive Technologies, examining its evolution, major findings and relevance to member administrations.
Nigeria was among the Customs administrations that presented case studies contributing to the updated report, alongside the General Administration of Customs of China and the Mauritius Revenue Authority.
The opening ceremony featured remarks by WCO Deputy Secretary General Ricardo Treviño Chapa, while Xueyan Guo, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of China’s General Administration of Customs, and Eduard Hakobyan, Chairman of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee, delivered keynote addresses.
Other sessions examined deliverables under the WCO Smart Customs Project’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and Blockchain packages, including technical reports, readiness self-assessment tools and practical case studies.
Participants also explored AI governance and deployment readiness in Customs, with experts and representatives from Cambodia, Mexico, Türkiye and Vietnam examining institutional preparedness, governance frameworks and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.
Nigeria’s participation underscores the NCS’s commitment to leveraging digital innovation, intelligent data systems and human capacity development to strengthen Customs administration, enhance border management and improve the country’s competitiveness in international trade.
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