Why 24-hour port operations failed- Customs CG

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has explained why the much- touted 24 hours port operations failed to gain sustainable traction, pointing to a lack of synchronization across the maritime logistics chain.

Adeniyi said while the NCS had previously deployed officers to support the round- the-clock port operations, the initiative was stifled because other critical operators such as banks, shipping companies and terminal operators were not fully integrated into the arrangement.

Speaking on Friday during a strategic meeting with the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Audu, Adeniyi noted that the solution lies in a fully paperless environment.

He said 24- hour port operations can only succeed when the entire logistics chain is fully integrated and digitally linked, removing the human and bureaucratic delays that currently stall progress.

He said the Service is advancing plans to establish a fully paperless Customs environment adding that core processes, including pre-arrival documentation, cargo declaration, duty payment and release communication, have already been digitised.

“Where delays still occur, they are often linked to operators who continue to rely on physical documentation. That is an area we intend to address in the coming months,” he said.

During the meeting, Adeniyi explained that the Service has institutionalised regular engagements with stakeholder groups, including the American Business Council and other trade associations, to address operational concerns and strengthen cooperation within the trade ecosystem.

According to him, “Such consultations allow the Service to identify operational bottlenecks and obtain direct feedback from businesses that interact with Customs at the nation’s ports.”

The CGC also disclosed that the Service, working with the World Customs Organisation (WCO), recently conducted a Time Release Study (TRS), a scientific study of the costs and time required to conduct business at Nigerian ports, using Tin Can Island Port as a case study.

The study, he said, involved shipping companies, terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, Licensed Customs Agents and financial institutions. Its findings were compiled in a report publicly launched on 26 January, 2026.

“We deliberately involved every segment of the port community in the exercise so that the findings would reflect the real operational environment. The report has already provided valuable insights that are guiding some of the reforms we are implementing,” Adeniyi said.

He noted that while some concerns raised by stakeholders have already been addressed, others will continue to shape future reforms within the Service.

The CGC Adeniyi also highlighted ongoing investments in scanning technology and ICT infrastructure to strengthen risk-based cargo management and reduce reliance on physical cargo examination.

According to him, development partners such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation have continued to encourage Nigeria to expand the use of non-intrusive inspection technology in line with global best practices.

Earlier in her remarks, the PEBEC Director-General, Zahrah Audu, said the Council is implementing a 90-day Business Environment Enhancement Programme to address operational challenges identified in its Business Facilitation Compliance Report, released in November 2025.

Audu explained that the programme seeks to improve efficiency across business-facing Ministries, Departments and Agencies by fostering closer collaboration to remove operational bottlenecks that affect the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

As part of the initiative, she said PEBEC conducted a three-day operational assessment at Lagos ports in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority. During the exercise, officials observed cargo-handling processes from vessel arrival to cargo exit and consulted widely with regulators and private-sector stakeholders.

“The exercise enabled us to identify key operational challenges affecting port efficiency and to develop practical recommendations for improvement,” she said.

Among the issues highlighted were the need to strengthen joint vessel boarding by regulatory agencies, improve coordination of cargo inspections, and enhance the use of technology in port operations.

Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said vessel arrival schedules already provide sufficient information for operational planning at the ports.

According to her, effective use of such information would enable the Service to deploy officers more strategically rather than maintaining personnel at terminals while awaiting vessel arrivals.

“The concept of 24-hour port operations should focus on smarter deployment of personnel based on vessel schedules, not merely extending working hours,” Adebakin said.

She also expressed the Service’s readiness to address operational issues raised through the PEBEC reporting platform, noting that sustained collaboration between the two institutions remains essential for improving port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s business environment.

The Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Tariff and Trade also reiterated the effectiveness of the trade facilitation tools introduced by the service to expedite the clearance of cargoes for trusted traders.

She mentioned the Authorised Economic Program, Advance Ruling Systems and One-Stop-Shop among the initiatives introduced by the service to actualise the Federal Government’s goal of trade efficiency in Nigeria.