The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has started a new pilot programme that lets traders process Form M using the B’Odogwu Trade Portal. This new move is part of a bigger plan to modernise trade processes and improve how customs operations are managed in the country.
The B’Odogwu portal, also known as the Unified Customs Management System, aims to make customs documentation faster and more efficient.
The pilot began after NCS approved the integration of Form M into the new portal. To test how it works, three customs commands were selected: Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML), Tin Can Island Port, and Apapa Area Command. These locations were carefully chosen to monitor performance, involve stakeholders, and ensure that the process runs smoothly before it expands across the country.
So far, a total of 544 Form M entries have been processed on the platform. Out of these, 283 were successfully registered, 10 were validated, and 26 were saved for future action. In addition, 41 forms were submitted, 120 were sent back for corrections, 11 were queried, 14 had their Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs) locked, and 39 were recommended for approval. These results show that the B’Odogwu system is working well and can support import documentation.
In the same pilot phase, 37 PAARs were created from the processed Form M entries. Among them, 7 PAARs were registered, 12 had Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) processed, 2 were fully approved, and 8 were recommended for further checks. Also, 4 were submitted, and 4 were queried. These outcomes prove that the system can handle full trade processing from start to finish.
The pilot project is not just about testing software; it’s about improving how trade is done in Nigeria. With quicker clearance times and better customs transparency, importers, exporters, and financial institutions will benefit. To support this digital upgrade, NCS has asked shipping lines, airlines, and other carriers to start sending their cargo manifests to the B’Odogwu portal.
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Led by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Nigeria Customs Service is moving towards a fully digital trade environment, which supports revenue growth, customs clearance, and national development.