Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has announced the successful commencement of a pilot phase for processing Form M through its homegrown B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, marking a significant milestone in the digital transformation of Nigeria’s trade facilitation framework.
The move is seen as a major stride toward streamlining customs documentation, boosting efficiency, and reinforcing transparency across the country’s import-export value chain.
A statement by the National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the pilot, which was carried out in PTML, Tin Can Island Port, and Apapa Area Command, demonstrated the system’s capacity to handle end-to-end trade documentation.
“During the pilot, a total of 544 Form M entries were processed, out of which 283 were successfully registered and 37 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs) were generated. These results reflect the operational robustness of the B’Odogwu platform in a live trade environment.”
Maiwada explained that the integration of Form M processing into the B’Odogwu platform is part of a broader strategy to digitalize customs operations under the leadership of Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR.
“The B’Odogwu platform is a game-changer. It allows for real-time tracking, error detection, and swift document processing—eliminating delays and enhancing accountability.
“Of the 544 entries processed, 120 were returned for corrections, 26 were stored for further action, and 14 had PAARs locked—illustrating the system’s built-in safeguards for trade integrity.”
The Customs Service also disclosed that financial institutions and traders are being sensitized in preparation for full nationwide deployment of the platform.
In the meantime, shipping lines and airlines have been urged to begin transmitting manifests directly to the B’Odogwu platform to support seamless processing during the transition.
