CUSTOMS LAUNCHES AUTOMATED LICENCES, PERMITS SYSTEM TO FAST- TRACK SERVICE DELIVERY
CUSTOMS LAUNCHES AUTOMATED LICENCES, PERMITS SYSTEM TO FAST- TRACK SERVICE DELIVERY
By Babatunde Aremu
The Nigeria Customs Service has taken a significant step toward modernising its operations with the launch of a sensitisation programme on the full automation of its Licences and Permits processes, held at the Customs Training College Auditorium in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, February 23, 2026.
The programme, which is being conducted simultaneously across all Zones of the Service, was organised to acquaint stakeholders with the new digital system before its full implementation.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Mohammed Babandede described the initiative as the beginning of a new chapter in service delivery, noting that Zone A, as the most economically active zone in the country, bore particular responsibility for getting the transition right. “For Stakeholders, automation means that you will no longer have to go to a Customs office simply to apply for or renew a licence or permit. You will be able to do this from your office or even from your phone,” he said.
Under the new system, importers, clearing agents, and freight forwarders will no longer need to travel to Customs offices or the Service’s headquarters in Abuja to apply for or renew licences and permits. The entire process can be completed digitally from any location, with real-time tracking of application status. This is expected to eliminate the longstanding bottlenecks that have characterised the manual processing of trade licences and permits.
Comptroller Ngozika Anozie, who anchored the event, outlined the broader benefits of the automation drive, tying it to the Comptroller-General’s three-point agenda of Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation. She explained that the system would not only reduce costs and save time for trade operators but also help detect fraudulent documents automatically and allow the Licences and Permits Unit to cross-check for unpaid assessments through the B’Odogwu platform before processing applications.
The automation is expected to enhance the statutory revenue generation duties of the Nigeria Customs Service, as fees are paid into the government’s coffers with every licence and permit processed. Officers across various Customs Area Commands have already received training ahead of the rollout.
