By Amina Ojelabi
Amid stakeholder concerns over teething challenges with B’Odogwu rollout, CAC Olomu has reassured importers, agents, and the trading community of imminent system stability promising visible improvements within one week.
Speaking on the sidelines of a sensitisation exercise held at the ANLCA Secretariat in Lagos, Olomu described the new platform as “robust and reliable,” but acknowledged the onboarding challenges stemming from the transition.
“It’s not the platform that’s the problem,” the official clarified. “It’s like handing a manual car to someone used to driving automatic. The system is powerful, but those who use it need to be properly trained.”
The sensitisation campaign currently ongoing across key customs formations is part of a phased strategy to bring critical stakeholders up to speed with the newly deployed technology. The platform, developed to enhance transparency and real-time cargo processing, replaces the legacy system previously operated under a third-party contract which has since expired.
ANLCA was chosen as a pilot hub for training due to its national model status, with ongoing engagements involving freight forwarders, licensed customs agents, and shipping association members. Training sessions are also concurrently being held at the Port & Terminal Multiservices Ltd (PTML), Tin Can Island Port, and other key operational zones.
“It’s the same platform being used everywhere PTML, Tin Can, and elsewhere. So the issues are not location-specific. They’re transitional,” Olomu noted.
On reported system delays and processing backlogs, CAC Olomu disclosed that the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) recently held high-level meetings in Lagos with commercial banks, technology providers, and other interfacing government agencies.
“A lot of issues have been identified especially around payment processing and platform integration. The CGC was in town last week to get direct feedback, and he extracted clear commitments from stakeholders to resolve the most pressing bottlenecks within days.”
According to Olomu, the CGC has assigned timelines to service providers on a case-by-case basis to ensure accelerated fixes to the glitches experienced. These include electronic payment delays, user interface challenges, and synchronisation errors with external service providers.
“We’ve gone problem by problem, agency by agency.
Many have already responded and begun working. In the next one week, users will experience a very different system much faster and smoother.”
Olomu also hinted that Customs is gradually aligning the B’Odowu platform with the broader National Single Window initiative, which is being tracked and developed at a federal level to unify all trade-related processes under one digital ecosystem.
“We’re working towards the single window. It’s not fully integrated yet, but some components are already in place.”
Despite the initial pains, the B’Odogwu platform is expected to significantly streamline port clearance operations, improve trade facilitation, and support Nigeria’s digital economy drive once fully stabilised.
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