The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, announced on Tuesday that physical examinations of cargo will be completely phased out by December 2026, as the Service will then focus on scanning machines and data analytics. He also inaugurated a facility that boosts the tech shift in Apapa and emphasised that data analytics is the backbone for reducing manual checks. “Physical examinations will be completely phased out by December 2026, as the Service would then focus on scanning machines and data analytics,” he said. He urged traders to declare cargo honestly and join the Authorised Economic Operator programme for trusted status, noting that higher compliance will minimise intrusive checks on legitimate trade. The Controller tied the project to reducing physical examinations, citing Apapa data: 21,373 Red channel (physical) versus 3,236 Orange (scanning), urging scanner expansion to target only high-risk cargo, reduce congestion, and boost clearance nationwide by year-end with improved trader compliance.

Source: Punch March 12, 2026 08:19 UTC