The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new automated overtime e-clearance system aimed at reducing congestion at the ports and enhancing trade facilitation.
The customs service disclosed this on its official X account on Wednesday, stating “As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce congestion at the ports and improve trade facilitation, the Nigeria Customs Service is embracing digital solutions, unveiling a new automated overtime e-clearance system,” the NCS post stated.
Speaking at a sensitisation exercise in Lagos, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, explained that the platform allows consignees to submit and track applications remotely, eliminating repeated visits to customs offices. He added that the initiative is expected to lower costs and shorten clearance time for cargo owners.
The Comptroller-General said, “We are more interested in removing these cargoes from our ports rather than managing them as overtime. If we had a choice, we would rather get all of them out of the ports.
“Everything we have tried to do is to ensure that our processes are more efficient, so that the cost and time it takes to clear these cargoes from the ports will be reduced.” He concluded.