The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is set to step up trade facilitation at the nation’s busiest port as the Apapa Area Command prepares for the installation of three fixed scanners capable of examining about 200 containers per hour. The scanners, which are part of the ongoing Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), are expected to speed up cargo clearance, tighten security, and reduce congestion at the port.
Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Oluwadare Oshoba, disclosed this during an inspection of the sites designated for the equipment. He said the scanners will be strategically positioned close to the berthing area to ensure that all containers arriving at the port are subjected to high-tech, non-intrusive checks.
“No consignment will escape inspection as the scanners will be examining 200 containers per hour,” Oshoba said. “This is a major step that will save time, increase revenue, enhance national security, promote trade and prevent port-related crimes right from the point of entry.”
The Customs chief commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for driving the modernisation programme. He explained that the installation, to be handled by the Trade Modernisation Project in partnership with APM Terminals, will last about 45 days. Two scanners will come from the TMP while APM Terminals will provide an additional unit, with a mobile scanner on standby to prevent downtime.
Oshoba urged officers to get ready for intensive “train-the-trainer” sessions and capacity building for ICT staff who will handle first and second-level maintenance of the scanners, which he described as the first of their kind in West and Central Africa. He also warned importers, exporters and agents to make honest declarations, noting that the technology will expose concealments and false documentation.
Giving more details on the equipment, the TMP Team Leader at the site, Aliyu Suleiman, said the scanners are the NUCTECH FS6000 model from China. He explained that they use high-penetration dual-energy X-ray transmission technology to inspect trucks and containers in one pass at speeds of up to 15 km/h, providing detailed images that can reveal concealed contraband and dangerous materials. He added that the system’s modular design allows integration with other tools such as License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
The Apapa Command handles the largest volume of container traffic in Nigeria and has for years faced delays caused by manual cargo checks. Stakeholders believe the deployment of the scanners will cut clearance times, boost revenue and make Apapa a benchmark for other ports in the country.
Oshoba called on port users and stakeholders to support the project to ensure its success. “All hands must be on deck to see this dream through,” he said. “This is the beginning of a new era in customs operations.”
The installation of the scanners is part of a wider modernisation plan aimed at automating customs processes and aligning Nigeria’s trade practices with global standards. Similar upgrades are expected to be introduced at other major ports and border locations once the Apapa pilot is completed.
