The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) commitment to enhancing collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to facilitate trade and boost revenue generation—a development he said would benefit all Nigerians.

CGC Adeniyi made this known during a courtesy visit to the CBN, where he met with its governor, Olayemi Cardoso.

According to him, the partnership aims to drive the full implementation of the B’Odogwu system—an indigenous trade facilitation platform developed by the NCS to replace the existing Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) II.

“The initiative is expected to modernise customs operations, improve efficiency in trade documentation, and enhance revenue collection,” Adeniyi stated.

Speaking on the project, he emphasised the importance of seamless integration between customs and financial institutions, particularly in automating foreign exchange transactions and trade-related payments.

He explained that the new system was introduced following the contract’s expiration with the previous service provider, which had been extended multiple times before the government entered a new concession agreement in 2023.

“We began piloting the B’Odogwu programme at the Port and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Area Command in Lagos and engaged all stakeholders, including the Central Bank. Three months into the pilot phase, we integrated key trade documentation processes such as Form M and Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), but encountered initial challenges, particularly resistance from some of the Authorised Dealer Banks (ADBs),” Adeniyi noted.

He urged the CBN to grant the necessary approvals for banks to integrate into the system to enable seamless transactions.

Responding, Cardoso, commended the customs service for its innovative approach and pledged his support in ensuring the initiative’s success.