By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday carried out a full test-run of the newly-installed scanners at APM Terminals, marking what the Command described as the final step before full operational deployment.
Comptroller Emmanuel Oluwadare Oshoba, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, led the exercise alongside the technical team, scanner operators, ICT personnel and representatives of the modernisation project. According to him, “this is 100 per cent — operations can take place now.”
Oshoba explained that the scanners would drive a paperless clearance process, where scanned images are automatically matched to electronic declarations without the need for agents to submit physical documents.
“What we are going to be having is a paperless system of operations, where every image scanned is matched to the declaration. The moment an agent captures, and the container is scanned, the system marries them together, analysis is done, and the cargo is released in a timely manner,” he said.
He noted that delays will only occur where discrepancies are discovered between declarations and scanned images.
“Compliance is key. If I scan your container and the content is already captured, you cannot blame Customs for any delay. You will have to comply because the system shows everything,” Oshoba stated.
The CAC said the automated imaging and analysis process would improve the Command’s time release performance and strengthen national security.
“With this system, items like illicit drugs or ammunition are easily picked out. Even a hidden pistol will show clearly. It enhances security and supports the modernisation direction of the Service,” he added.
Oshoba also said the project aligns with the Comptroller-General’s push for full digitalisation across Customs operations.
“We are moving away from the era of manual processes. Everything being fully married with scanning technology for better trade facilitation,” he said.
Deputy Controller Umar Madugu, who heads the scanner unit, further explained the capabilities of the equipment.
According to him, the newly deployed system is designed to process about 200 containers daily, significantly reducing reliance on physical examination once fully operational.
Madugu confirmed that Thursday’s exercise was a complete operational test run, covering image capture, data transmission, system communication and fault-tolerant mechanisms.
On his part Mr. Niu Chao, Project Manager for Nuctech Company Ltd, the service provider, explained the imaging workflow, noting that scanned images first migrate into a central cloud system in Abuja before being displayed locally for analysis.
“All images go to Abuja, to the central image analysis workstation. They are stored in the image cloud and then displayed to local operators,” he said.
He added that the system also has contingency measures.“In case of network failure, we have a local image analysis system that allows operations to continue. The system has redundancy,” he assured.
With the test run completed, the CAC declared that the Command is ready for full operational deployment once final technical validations are concluded.
Officials from the modernisation project team were also on ground during the exercise, while terminal representatives monitored the workflow simulation.
The deployment of the scanners is expected to reduce clearance time, minimise physical examination, and enhance detection of prohibited imports.
