Nigeria Customs’ B'Odogwu Goes Live At Apapa Port, First Agent To Clear Goods Narrates Experience

• Nigeria's ports have been plagued with operational challenges and delays that often lead to gridlock on the port corridors
• To resolve this, the Nigeria Customs Service launched the B'Odogwu system to accelerate cargo clearance and port movement
• The B'Odogwu system has finally gone live at the Apapa port, and the first agent has shared his experience

Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

The Nigeria Customs Service has finally gone live with the B’Odogwu platform at the Apapa Area Command in Lagos state, marking a significant step toward efficient cargo clearance.

After months of testing and refining the system to address Nigeria’s unique operational challenges, the B’Odogwu platform is now fully operational.

The NCS successfully processed and cleared its first Single Goods Declaration (SGD) on May 9, 2025, marking a significant milestone for the B’Odogwu platform.

The initiative is expected to mark the beginning of speedy and seamless cargo clearance as promised by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.

Nigeria Customs introduces B’Odogwu system

The B'Odogwu system was first announced last year and has been equipped with features to make cargo clearance seamless.

In December 2024, the NCS integrated 25 banks into the portal to ensure that all payments are made through the platform for enhanced transparency.

Months later, the pilot phase commenced with the integration of the form M processing on the portal.

Even at the test phase, over N44 billion was recorded in revenue in October 2024, much higher than the figures before then.

NCS shares new milestone

In a Facebook post to announce the milestone, the NCS revealed that the platform was developed to meet global standards of modern international trade, while also resolving long-standing issues with the previously used system.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, stated that the platform was developed to meet the demands of modern international trade while resolving long-standing issues with the previous system.

He said;

“Challenges such as poor network connectivity, delays, and congestion associated with the former system end today.”

He explained that under the old system, frequent network failures led to port congestion and disrupted operations.

As a port that handles about 400 to 500 declarations daily, the Apapa Command of the NCS remains at the forefront of trade facilitation and revenue generation, and the new system will help the command deliver promptly on its objectives, Olomu said.

Olomu disclosed that the stakeholders and agents have received hands-on training on the B’Odogwu system to ease adoption and transition.

He added that more sensitisation would continue until they are all fully acquainted with the platform.

Apapa: First clearing agent narrates experience

The NCS introduced the first clearing agent to use the platform, Mr. Olanrewaju Oyebanjo of Bedowick Nigeria Limited, who praised the system’s efficiency.

Oyebanjo expressed his delight at being the first to use the platform. He also stated that it was a very smooth and straightforward.

Nigeria Customs promises 2-hour Cargo clearance

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Customs Service promised that upon full implementation, the B'Odogwu system would help importers clear their goods in hours.

Customs Area Comptroller (CAC), Tin-Can Island Command, Compt. Franklin Onyeka stated that importers would be able to move their goods out of the ports in a minimum of two hours.

This marks a major deviation from the previous situation where cargoes sometimes stayed months at the ports before they were cleared and moved out of the port.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng