Nigeria Customs Service automation system world-class-AfCFTA Sec- Gen  

….Secretariat plans to develop digital African Customs system by 2026

Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene has hailed the Nigeria Customs Service’ technological innovations deployed to facilitate trade describing its automation system as world- class.

Mene gave the commendation in Lagos on Wednesday when he led a team from the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra Ghana on a working visit to the Apapa Customs Command.

He said the NCS is playing a leading role in digitalization of its processes in the continent, hence its expertise and experience are critical to the implementation of the trade agreement.

Noting that some African countries are, however, yet to digitilise their customs operation, the Secretary General said the AfCFTA Secretariat is planning towards developing a digital African Customs system that is inter-operable to support other member states be on same level of automation and enable seamless trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He said, “Nigeria Customs Service automation is that of a top-class system. It is digital and automated so it is world-class.

“Sometimes we talk about Singapore, Dubai but we have our own success stories here on the continent particularly when it comes to digital systems. So, I congratulate the Nigeria Customs Service for all the technological innovations to move ahead and to take the lead.

“There are others who simply don’t have the systems. Everything is still done manually we would have to lift them up so that all of us are on the same level of readiness.

“Different countries on the continent are on different levels of automation and that is a problem because it means our systems are not speaking to one another. So collectively, our responsibility is to think about how we can develop a system to bring us to the same level. Because as we have seen, Nigeria is moving ahead in automation and digitilisation.

“So as a secretariat, our role therefore, would be to create a system or encourage a system where all customs authorities can have confidence in a digital automation system. There would be challenges, some countries might not be ready, or may be challenged because of internet issues.

“But I think if we invest in soft infrastructure, digital system that will enable trade more efficiently, quicker and at an affordable rate, that is exactly what we should be striving for. It may not happen next month or this year but we have to make sure that we do it in the next three to four years.

“So, we have to make sure that we learn from those who have the system and roll out the models of success that they have introduced as NCS have done here and ensure that there is this automation and our systems are inter – operable so that if you are trading goods from Ghana to Togo, Nigeria to Niger, there is a seamless system.”

Earlier, Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta  explained the automation and digitalisation process of Customs operations and how it evolved from 1998 with the ASYCUDA project and went through a different transformation to the present level of enhanced automation level that has made Customs processes seamless, faster and quicker.

He also discussed the trade facilitation measures adopted by the Customs which has helped facilitate and grow trade to include e-declaration, fast track system, Customs to Customs cooperation and dispute resolution initiative.

Others, he said, are collaboration with government regulatory agencies, capacity building through refresher courses and stakeholder’s sensitization on government policies.

Commenting on the purpose of his visit to Lagos, Mene said they were in Apapa to learn the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service and to see how the Secretariat can integrate African ports in the implementation of the AfCFTA.

This, according to him, will enable the Secretariat to effectively integrate all Customs operations in African countries into AfCFTA implementation if they were to meet the target set by the African Heads of states that trade within the African continent should double by 2035.

The Secretary General who commended the NCS for its contribution to the AfCFTA stated that without the involvement of customs authorities, the Secretariat would not succeed in implementing the trade agreement.

On fears of Nigeria being a dumping ground for unidentified goods from other African countries, Mene said the Secretariat is working with Customs authorities to mitigate the possibility of dumping goods just as he urged Customs authorities not to hesitate to take actions against those goods.

“This agreement is intended to create jobs not job losses so we have to make sure that we are very vigilant against transshipment of goods and fraudulent invoicing. Any goods that are coming in and not part of the AfCFTA, we should not hesitate to take action against those goods. That is why we are working closely with the Customs authorities.

“Fraudulent invoicing, transshipment like any other crime will always be there. The issue is to mitigate and make it difficult. So, we are working closely with Customs authorities that is why we have hosted them five times in Accra so that we can jointly confront this challenge of the possibility of dumping of goods,” he said.

On intra-trading among African countries, Mene said it’s presently very low at 18 percent as against intra – European trade that is at 72/73 percent.

“It is really a shame that we as Africans trade among ourselves only 18 percent intra African trade and when you look at the figures for intra- European trade, it is 72/73 percent. So as a continent, we are at the lower end of intra-regional trade so we have a lot of catching up to do,” he said.

Picture caption:

Controller, Apapa Customs Area Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta presenting a plaque to of the Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, when Mene paid a working visit to the command in Lagos on Wednesday.