By Oluyinka Onigbinde
A former acting President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr. Farinto Kayode Collins, has called on the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashiru Adewale Adeniyi, to urgently address the operational deficiencies of the newly introduced B’Odogwu customs clearance portal, warning that its current shortcomings are causing significant delays in cargo clearance and increasing the cost of doing business at Nigerian seaports.
In an open letter addressed to the Customs boss, Farinto acknowledged Adeniyi’s transformative leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service, describing his election as Chairman of the World Customs Organization as a testament to his global recognition and diplomatic achievements.
However, the maritime consultant cautioned that while the Customs Service has recorded notable successes internationally, serious operational challenges persist at the domestic level due to the implementation of the indigenous B’Odogwu portal.
The letter, extracted from a recent edition of his publication titled Who Am I, noted that although the B’Odogwu platform was introduced to reduce dependence on foreign technology and lower operational costs, it currently performs below the standard set by the former Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II).
According to him, one of the major shortcomings of the portal is its inability to process multiple Bills of Lading simultaneously. Unlike NICIS II, which allowed freight forwarders to upload several Bills of Lading at once, B’Odogwu requires users to complete the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) process for one bill before another can be uploaded, significantly slowing cargo processing.
He further explained that the platform mandates that PAAR documents be shared with relevant government agencies before they can be utilized, resulting in delays that range from several hours to multiple days.
Other technical limitations identified include inadequate server memory, repeated rejection of Form ‘M’ uploads, the absence of an integrated Harmonized System (HS) Code search feature, and frequent system downtimes that sometimes last more than 24 hours.
Dr. Farinto also expressed concern over what he described as unnecessary duplication of regulatory requirements on the portal. He cited instances where importers are compelled to obtain a Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certificate for used goods despite already possessing valid permits issued by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
He warned that these operational inefficiencies, coupled with poor integration between the B’Odogwu platform and the National Single Window initiative, are exposing importers to avoidable storage charges, demurrage, and prolonged cargo dwell time at the nation’s ports.
The former ANLCA leader stressed that unless immediate corrective measures are taken, the objectives of trade facilitation and port efficiency could be undermined.
To address the challenges, Farinto urged the Comptroller-General to initiate an urgent technical review of the B’Odogwu portal, ensure seamless synchronization with the National Single Window platform, redesign the system’s workflow to reflect practical cargo clearance procedures, and actively engage licensed customs agents and freight forwarders in improving the platform.
He maintained that involving end users in the continuous development of the portal would enhance its efficiency, reduce cargo clearance delays, and ultimately improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.
