The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced an ambitious trade modernization project under a public-private partnership (PPP) with a target to raise $200 billion in revenue in the next 20 years.
The project management office of the deal was inaugurated in Abuja yesterday in partnership with Trade Modernization Project, TMP Limited, with a mandate to deliver the best-in-class technology for full automation of NCS processes and align with its peers around the world.
According to the chairman of TMP Ltd., Saleh Ahmadu, “under the terms of the concession agreement, TMP will invest a total of US$3.2 billion over a 20-year period, which will generate more than US$200 billion in revenue for the Federal Government.
“The financing for the first phase of the project, in the sum of US$300 million, together with a cash-backed US$9 million performance bond in favor of the NCS, have been secured through our financial partners.”
He revealed that a substantial part of the investment would go towards building the capacity of the NCS, ensuring business continuity, and managing the associated project risks.
The chairman explained that the project would be delivered through key components, including the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) and the Trade Portal, a central hub of all trading activities that keys into the UCMS and would provide the integration modules for Other Government Agencies (OGA.
He said the trade hub would further simplify how the public obtains import and export licenses and other non-NCS-related certifications that enhance the import and export decision-making capacity of the NCS.
Saleh said another component, a non-intrusive system that integrates 67 cargo scanners of various types and capacities at sea ports, airports, and land borders, would be installed.
He said, “The system will provide anonymity in cargo scanning, coordinated release decisions, and seamless post-clearance audits to ensure the optimal performance of inspection image analysts.”
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC, Col. Hameed Ali, retd., said the TMP was an answer to “the pressing need for better infrastructure and the importance of becoming a data-driven organization to enhance our service delivery.”
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