The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, recently welcomed Junior Course 23 students from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, for an operational study tour focused on the impact of Customs modernisation on trade facilitation. The visit took place on Monday, 17 November 2025.

Key highlights from the tour

• Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), described the visit as a critical engagement aligned with the Service’s ongoing reform agenda.
• The theme of the study tour was “Evaluating the Impact of Customs Modernisation on Trade Facilitation.” The participants explored how the NCS’s modernisation efforts are strengthening efficiency and service delivery at one of Nigeria’s busiest and most strategic ports.
• Comptroller Oshoba emphasised Apapa’s strategic role in the national economy and stressed the importance of operations that are efficient, effective, and aligned with international standards.

Innovations showcased during the visit

• B’Odogwu system
• Time Release Study
• Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme
• Electronic Cargo Tracking
• One-Stop-Shop initiative
• Advanced Ruling System (ARS)

According to Oshoba, these reforms have contributed to faster cargo clearance, enhanced security, and improved stakeholder satisfaction at Apapa.

Engagement with the next generation of customs leaders

The students were encouraged to actively engage with the sessions to gain firsthand insight into how modernisation is transforming trade processes. Comptroller Oshoba underscored that today’s learners are the future leaders of the Service, and their participation would help shape a more modern, technology-driven operation.

The CAC expressed optimism that the knowledge shared during the exercise would bolster the students’ professional development and reinforce the Service’s continuous drive toward modern, technology-driven operations.

Visuals and connections. The visit included group photographs with Apapa Customs Command officers and Junior Course 23 students.. Notable media visuals available from the event include images featuring the Apapa Command and related affiliations.