The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has acknowledged a recent technical disruption that affected the transmission of Product Certificates and SONCAP documents required for processing the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) a critical step in cargo clearance.
In a communiqué issued on Thursday by its National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS confirmed that the issue has now been fully resolved in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and that the backlog of affected transactions is currently being cleared.
The glitch, which arose during SON’s onboarding onto the B’Odogwu trade automation platform on July 23, 2025, disrupted the proper capture of Form M, PAAR, and the Single Goods Declaration (SGD), causing widespread concern among importers and licensed customs agents nationwide.
“The disruption followed technical integration challenges that emerged during the process of onboarding the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) onto the B’Odogwu platform,” Maiwada said.
“As of Wednesday, August 6, 2025, both agencies have successfully resolved the transmission issues. Product Certificates and SONCAP documents are now being transmitted seamlessly, and the backlog of affected transactions is being cleared.”
The Service outlined specific system issues, including incorrect data formatting, missing product codes, limited space for trader names, ambiguous error messages, and difficulties linking Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) to user profiles. While Customs swiftly resolved issues on its end, the full fix depended on SON’s intervention—now completed.
The statement comes amid a wave of criticism from stakeholders over prolonged cargo clearance delays at Lagos ports. Importers and freight forwarders have accused Customs of deploying a “faulty trade platform”—B’Odogwu—that disrupted operations and triggered hefty demurrage charges. Customs, however, maintains that the platform is functioning and that the issues stem from improper documentation by importers.
Logistics expert and President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, was among the most vocal critics.
He cited the case of a distressed importer whose consignment, which arrived at Lagos Port on July 28, remains uncleared due to unresolved PAAR issues allegedly tied to the B’Odogwu platform.
“B’Odogwu has a fault. Customs are liable because they introduced something that is not working. If the system causes delays, then Customs must be held responsible and pay demurrage,” Amiwero said.
He also called for an independent government investigation into the platform, which he claims has been problematic since its rollout nearly three years ago.
“People are suffering in the ports. We can’t just dismiss this. The Federal Government must set up a committee to audit the platform and Customs’ processes. This has happened before under Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Customs were held accountable then,” he added.
Importers have expressed mixed experiences. Harriet William praised the B’Odogwu system, noting that although her shipment was initially diverted to Cotonou, the clearance process in Lagos was smooth.
“Once the goods landed in Lagos, the clearance wasn’t too hectic. There was no issue with the B’Odogwu system in my case,” she said.
But for others like Chuka Onuoha, the system has proven frustrating.
“The helpdesk takes too long to respond. Even when you follow the steps, there’s always a new complication. Meanwhile, storage costs pile up. It’s not sustainable,” he said.
Assistant Superintendent of Customs and B’Odogwu Help Desk Officer, Usman Jere, insisted the platform is functioning as intended. He attributed many of the delays to users’ failure to migrate documentation from the retired Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II).
“The B’Odogwu platform is fully functional. What we’re seeing is that many importers failed to migrate their documentation when the portal window was open,” Jere said.
He explained that traders must create an account on B’Odogwu using a valid TIN linked to an active email, and then submit old Form M and PAAR documents to Customs for migration and validation.
“Once the migration is done, traders can generate new PAARs. It doesn’t take long, provided all documents are submitted,” he added.
For traders who began using B’Odogwu from the start, Jere said the process is simpler and does not require physical visits to the bank—unlike NICIS II.
Jere acknowledged challenges with integrating third-party regulatory inputs such as the SONCAP certificate, but said Customs has provided workarounds and direct support to importers, including live Zoom assistance and 24/7 helpdesk support at Tin Can, Apapa, and nationwide.
Maiwada dismissed claims that B’Odogwu is responsible for the nationwide delays, calling such allegations “unfair and misleading.”
“If one or two importers have problems, they should be addressed individually. We cannot condemn an entire system that’s processing thousands of transactions daily,” he said.
He added that the Service has deployed trained officers across all zones (A, B, C, and D) and is conducting regular training sessions nationwide to help users adapt and resolve technical issues.
“These sessions not only build user capacity but also serve as a feedback channel for improving the platform,” Maiwada said.
Despite Customs’ assurances, some stakeholders insist that further action is needed.
“You can’t build digital efficiency on a broken user experience. Fix the system or fix the way it’s being managed,” Onuoha said.
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