By MARTHA AGAS

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One- Stop- Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

NCS’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between the NCS management and Customs Area Controllers chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernization agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a `transformative shift` which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

Adeniyi said that the reform was designed to sanitize operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in Customs operations but also emphasized on the importance of physical engagement with officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence coming together under one roof adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.

The NCS` boss said that the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.

He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.

The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.

According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception to reduce costs and enhance trade facilitation.

He said that the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS`s accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction. (NAN)