Customs, Shippers’ Council meet to resolve B’Odogwu cargo clearance bottlenecks

Following concerns raised by clearing agents regarding delays and demurrage linked to the B’Odogwu rollout, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for urgent measures to mitigate financial losses and prevent disruptions in the cargo clearance chain.

Executive Secretary of the Council made the plea during a meeting with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi on Monday at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) headquarters in Abuja.

The NSC boss conveyed the feedback from freight forwarders and agents, noting operational challenges related to system integration, documentation, and port logistics.

He underscored the need for urgent response to these issues to shield operators from undue financial burdens.

On his part, the Customs boss reaffirmed that B’Odogwu, being a flagship project under the Customs Modernisation Programme, remains critical to achieving a transparent, technology-driven, and globally competitive clearance process.

He assured that challenges in this initial phase would be systematically resolved through structured stakeholder engagement, phased improvements, and continuous system upgrades.

Both the NCS and NSC underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and collaboration, noting that further consultations with stakeholders, including shipping lines and terminal operators, would continue to align processes and address emerging concerns.

The Service also emphasised that while transitional issues are expected in large-scale reforms, measures are being implemented to limit disruptions and shield operators from excessive costs such as demurrage.

The B’Odogwu is an indigenous platform aimed at centralising Customs processes, integrating stakeholders into a unified system while cutting clearance timelines, reducing costs, boosting compliance, and strengthening government revenue.

The NCS, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to support the implementation, provide constructive feedback, and partner with the Service in its mission to build a modern, efficient, and competitive trade ecosystem that will contribute to national development.