Customs to Build Geospatial Intelligence Laboratory in 2024

Joyce Mmereole Okoli

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said that come the command has plans for a geospatial laboratory in the coming year

The Custom boss revealed this while giving his presentation at the on going 43rd Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) Annual Council in Lagos.

He opined that as Customs operations all over the world moves towards automation of her processes, world moves towards digital integration

His words: "We are making plans to build a customs laboratory in 2024. We are going to start the adoption of geospatial intelligence in our Enforcement Unit and with all our stakeholders in the National Trade facilitation Committee an, We hope to conduct a time study of how long it takes to clear goods from our ports.

“We are currently finalising our working agreement with our Customs Benin Republic to address existing gaps in bilateral trade remove everything that sustains the activities of smugglers

“We are also re-energising the activities of the national trade facilitation committee. We are putting that to force and we are also signing an MoU with Federal Road Safety Corp to come to our assistance and minimise the Operation of smuggled vehicles.

“There are a number of other technology. We are recommending collaboration in the verification of goods at the ports and that all maritime shipment comply with all AfCFTA origin rules. We are recommending effective and efficiently data exchange between customs administration and maritime authorities, we are recommending the harmonisation of procedures for certification in order to enable smoother and quicker export clearance.

“The agreement is not merely an agreement. It represents a catalyst for profound change and Customs is at the fire front of this transformative journey. The implications are multifaceted encompassing the ships of origin control, certification from regular to serious and creation of an African Continental Free Trade portal, he stated.

Adeniyi expressed his profound gratitude to the organizers for the exceptional effort in hosting this crucial meeting and dedicating the theme to the paramount discussion of free trade in Africa.