The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and organized private sector have raised concerns over effectiveness of the Nigeria Customs Service’s new digital clearance system, B’Odogwu, to address the bottle necks affecting importation and exportation of goods in the country saying the platform has been unable to meet their expectation on service delivery.
They stated that the new platform is not user-friendly and has caused delays in documentation for private organizations seeking permission to bring in foreign goods.
The stakeholders voiced their complaints during a town hall meeting organized by the Nigerian Customs in Ikeja on Monday, barely nine months after the platform was launched to enhance port access for the organised private sector nationwide.
The delegates, including a representative from British American Tobacco and delegates from various banks, raised concerns about the certification process, saying it currently lacks adequate verification and has allowed substandard items to enter the country.
Additionally, representatives pointed out issues with the classification of HS Codes between the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which they said complicates customs clearance further.
Bottlenecks in real-time data sharing and difficulties transitioning from the old Nigeria Customs Integrated System (NCISIS) to B’Odogwu were also highlighted as causes of turbulence in clearance operations.
Some stakeholders from the importers, exporters, and banking sectors during the meeting which took place on Monday, emphasized the need for enhanced user training to maximize the system’s benefits, stressing that prompt attention to these issues is essential to prevent further delays and improve overall trade facilitation.
The CBN Head of Import and Trade Relations, Tiku Alu, while addressing the officers and other stakeholders stated that there’s need for the Nigeria customs to improve the efficiency of the new system to serve importers and exporters better.
While Alu outlined key challenges that need to be addressed, he acknowledged that the migration from the old NCISIS system to the new platform is still a work in progress and emphasized the need for the commission to streamline processes and enhance service delivery.
On a more positive note, many attendees commended several features of B’Odogwu, emphasizing its user-centric design and the platform’s focus on direct stakeholder feedback.
According to some participants, the system has significantly improved tracking capabilities, allowing users to monitor shipment statuses and access real-time information more effectively.
Several users noted that the platform has reduced clearance times by up to 24 hours, marking a significant efficiency gain for importers and exporters alike.
They also acknowledged that data consistency between B’Odogwu and the NCS database has been maintained, enhancing reliability and transparency in customs operations.
Speaking on the issues confronting the B’Odogwu platform, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said training is ongoing across several commands to prepare staff to respond effectively to issues raised by exporters and other users.
Adeniyi said the Town Hall meeting was organized to give stakeholders an opportunity to share their experiences and provide feedback on the B’Odogwu system.
“Over the last two weeks, I have heard concerns about logging in, migration from NICIS II to B’Odogwu, payment problems, and other issues. We had discussions with the authorised banks ten days ago and received feedback and commitment from them to address some of the challenges raised,” he said.
“I am also happy that the feedback we have received is not all complaints. Indeed, some stakeholders have provided positive feedback. What we have seen during the panel discussion shows that for every change process, some sacrifices are made, but with commitment, we will benefit from the desired improvements.
“So, we encourage continued collaboration and open feedback through the platform. B’Odogwu is bringing cost reduction, easing the cost of doing business, and tackling security threats, which means it has come to stay.As we deploy this technology, we will get better at balancing different mandates so none are compromised.
Furthermore, he noted that the service’s ICT department had developed some set of questions providing general information for stakeholders, saying the help desk at the various command would help to distribute the document to them.
In addition to addressing concerns about the B’Odogwu platform, the Comptroller-General also spoke on broader policy reforms aimed at improving revenue generation and operational efficiency within the Service.
Adeniyi said that the implementation of a 4 per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) levy would replace the existing 1 per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and the 7 per cent Customs collection.
Under the new Customs Act, he noted that the 4 per cent FOB would be paid upfront, describing it as a win-win situation for both the government and stakeholders.
Adeniyi appealed to stakeholders for understanding, explaining that the levy is intended to support technological innovation in Customs operations. According to him, there would be no additional charges once the 4 per cent FOB is implemented.
