The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is doubling down on its new digital management system, B’Odogwu, despite facing challenges and attempts at cyber sabotage.
The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, made this clear during a high-level stakeholder meeting at the Apapa Area Command.
Adeniyi emphasised that the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), dubbed B’Odogwu, is an “irreversible policy direction.”
He acknowledged that while new issues will arise, the service is prepared to address them through continued collaboration with key partners, including authorised banks.
“There is no going back,” he stated, adding that previous engagements with banks have already yielded positive results.
The CGC also raised serious concerns about recent efforts to compromise the NCS’s digital infrastructure.
He revealed that over the previous weekend, individuals had attempted to infiltrate the system in what he described as an act of economic sabotage aimed at making the system inefficient.
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“We will not spare anyone engaging in such nefarious acts,” Adeniyi warned.
He assured stakeholders that the service is actively strengthening its firewalls to prevent future attacks and system downtime.
The meeting was part of the NCS’s ongoing efforts to deepen engagement with stakeholders and ensure seamless trade facilitation.
Adeniyi stressed the service’s commitment to open communication, stating that all attendees were brought together as “equal partners” to discuss and resolve issues affecting the maritime industry and cargo clearance.
The session ended with an interactive dialogue, where stakeholders shared their perspectives and collectively agreed to work towards greater efficiency and transparency in the clearance process.
