The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has given fresh assurances to importers, exporters, manufacturers, and the wider business community that cargo clearance at the ports will soon become faster and smoother. This follows the introduction of the new One-Stop-Shop (OSS) initiative, designed to eliminate the bureaucratic delays that often hold up shipments.

Integrated into the B’Odogwu digital platform, the OSS brings all Customs intervention processes—especially for flagged or non-compliant declarations—into one coordinated, technology-driven system. Instead of dealing with multiple units separately, clearance issues will now be resolved through a single, unified interface.

Speaking at a stakeholder meeting held at the Apapa Customs Command, the Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General Mohammed Babandede, said the innovation is expected to significantly cut down cargo dwell time. According to him, the new system aims to reduce the current average clearance period of 21 days to just 48 hours per shipment. He added that this will also help reduce demurrage costs and promote greater transparency across Customs operations.

Babandede also explained that while the system streamlines port processes, it will still maintain necessary checks outside the ports, especially for vehicles intercepted on the highways by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU).

Giving an update on the progress of the project, Olawale Onigbanjo, Project Manager and Technical Supervisor of the OSS at Apapa Command, said the platform is designed to end repetitive checks. Instead of several sequential inspections, Customs and other relevant units will now conduct joint examinations to speed up processing and reduce bottlenecks.

Onigbanjo noted that the overall goal is not only to shorten clearance time but also to reduce congestion at the ports and make trade easier for businesses. He added that the system will help prevent revenue leakages by enhancing the monitoring of extra duties collected and tracking guarantees issued under the OSS process.

While stakeholders welcomed the initiative, some expressed concerns about potential obstacles. Freight forwarder Kayode Aminu questioned whether the OSS would effectively eliminate additional checks outside the ports, especially activities of the FOU, which he believes often disrupt trade flows.

Despite the concerns, the OSS is widely viewed as a step forward in modernising Nigeria’s port operations and boosting the country’s competitiveness.