The Nigeria Customs Service commenced the sensitisation of clearing agents on the full automation of its licence and permit renewal application processes on Monday, with the aim of ensuring ease of doing business and boosting revenue generation for the government.
Speaking during the sensitisation programme in Ikeja, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone A of the NCS, Mohammed Babandede, an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, explained that the automation of the licence and permit processes is a direct response to the long-standing need to make the Service’s procedures faster, more transparent, and easier for users.
The Licence and Permit System is an online platform designed to simplify and standardise the process and eradicate the long-standing bottlenecks that have characterised the manual processing of trade licences and permits, leading to a loss of revenue for the government and businesses.
Babandede said, “The move is a direct response to the long-standing need to make our processes faster, more transparent, and easier for the people we serve.”
He added that for many years, stakeholders have had to deal with paperwork, long queues, and the uncertainty associated with manual processing.
“The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has approved the full automation of the licence and permit processes of the service.
This is a direct response to the long-standing need to make our processes faster, more transparent, and easier for the people we serve. For many years, stakeholders have had to deal with paperwork, long queues, and the uncertainty that comes with manual processing. Those days are coming to an end,” Babandede said.
According to him, the sensitisation exercise is being held across all zones from today, adding that the goal is simple: to ensure that every stakeholder understands the new automated system before it is implemented.
“For stakeholders, automation means that you will no longer have to go to a Customs office simply to apply for or renew a licence or permit. You will be able to do this from your office or even from your phone,” he stated.
He stressed that with the automation process, applications would be processed faster and applicants would be able to track the status of their applications in real time.
“And it means that the process will be the same for everyone — fair, consistent, and without the risk of error that comes with manual records. For the Service, automation means better record-keeping, easier supervision, and the ability to serve more stakeholders at once without increasing the burden on our officers,” Babandede noted.
Earlier, the Comptroller of Customs in charge of licences and permits, Ngozika Anozie, said that the automation will save importers and clearing and forwarding agents the stress of acquiring or renewing their licences and permits, as they can initiate and complete the process from the comfort of their offices or homes.
“Officers and men of the Licences and Permits Unit and the Bond Seat units of various commands will also be relieved of some stress, as their responsibilities will simply involve clicks on the systems in front of them, rather than carrying loads of files from one table to another and from one office to another. Automation will cut the cost of doing business and minimise movement risks for our stakeholders. They will no longer need to travel to Customs Headquarters in Abuja, incurring transport, hotel, and feeding expenses just to obtain or renew licences and permits. Automation will minimise, if not eradicate, fraudulent practices in the system, as every document uploaded during the process will be automatically rejected if fake and accepted if genuine,” Anozie said.
She emphasised that the Licences and Permits Unit can now view assessments through the B’Odogwu system to ensure that any company applying for a fresh licence or renewal does not have outstanding assessments.
“The CGC is poised to sanitise the system, and we at the L&P Unit are very passionate about ensuring that this objective is achieved. Automation saves time. Our stakeholders will now be able to use the time previously spent travelling between commands or to Customs Headquarters in Abuja to pursue other productive business activities. Ultimately, this automation will enhance the statutory revenue-generation duties of the NCS, because fees are paid into government coffers with every licence and permit processed. Imports are made with these permits, and clearing processes are validated with the licences issued. Therefore, the more licences and permits we issue or renew, the more revenue is generated for the NCS and the Nigerian economy. Automation also promotes greater efficiency and productivity among officers, enabling them to process more documents in less time with higher output. The advantages of automation are virtually endless,” Anozie explained.
Stakeholders present at the sensitisation programme included the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, among others.
