Nigeria Customs launches Automated Overtime E-Clearance System to decongest ports, enhance transparency, and speed up cargo clearance in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially launched its Automated Overtime E-Clearance System, a digital platform designed to decongest Nigerian ports, enhance transparency, and speed up cargo clearance.
The initiative was unveiled on Monday, 15 September 2025, at the Apapa Port in Lagos by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during a stakeholder sensitisation session. The new platform allows consignees to remotely submit and track overtime cargo applications, eliminating repeated visits to Customs offices and reducing manual interference.
According to Adeniyi, the platform is built on the earlier policy that extended cargo dwelling periods from 30 to 120 days, giving importers and exporters more flexibility. He stressed that the system is a key part of NCS’s drive for transparency, integrity, and adherence to regulations. Stakeholders have been urged to test the platform and provide feedback ahead of full deployment.
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The Comptroller-General also warned against attempts to exploit the system, citing a long-running 15-year overtime cargo case still under investigation. He emphasized that deliberate abandonment of cargo to evade duties will attract tougher sanctions, with intelligence units closely monitoring misuse.
As part of the rollout plan, the NCS will hold more sensitisation exercises with terminal operators, shipping lines, and other stakeholders before expanding to other Customs commands. The feedback gathered during these sessions will shape the final deployment phase.
Speaking at the event, Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, ACG Mohammed Babandede, hailed the development as a landmark in the NCS’s push for digital transformation and the ease of doing business in Nigeria. He added that the automation would improve turnaround times and boost the efficiency of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Terminal operators and shipping companies present at the launch also pledged their cooperation, affirming that the initiative would reduce port congestion and improve the country’s overall trade facilitation.
