By Fred JEREMIAH, Lagos
In accordance with the tripod policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, aimed to generate more revenue, suppress smuggling activities and enhance trade facilitation hinged on Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation; in view of the backdrop, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lagos Industrial Area Command (LIAC), has initiated stakeholders engagement to transition all excise operations into the newly deployed Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), codenamed B’Odogwu.
This information was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Juliana Tomo, and made available to GLOBAL RAYS Media.
The statement reads in part: “The sensitisation session, which held virtually and streamed from the Command’s conference hall on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, had in attendance, key industry players and unit heads.”
In her remarks during the meeting, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, Comptroller Sarah Wadinda, said, “The importance of the engagement is aimed to create robust trade facilitation and reducing operational bottlenecks.”
Compt Wadinda, asserted, “We organised this Zoom sensitisation to enlighten stakeholders on how to navigate the B’Odogwu system. The goal is to streamline excise operations by reducing human interface and promoting a paperless, real-time reporting environment.”
She added, “This is in accordance with section 205 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi and his management team are committed to equipping Resident Excise Officers with internet-enabled computing devices to support the automation drive.”
Participants at the session commended the initiative, describing it as timely and essential for economic growth. They also expressed readiness to align with Customs directives that would simplify and modernise excise procedures.
