New technology to curb cargo diversion, detect prohibited goods, boost revenue and reduce clearance delays at Nigerian ports
By Chioma Vivian James | Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Trade Modernisation Project Limited (TMPL) have completed a two-week factory test of advanced cargo scanners and an Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) in China ahead of their deployment in Nigeria.
The exercise, conducted from October 9 to 20, 2026, at the facility of Nuctech Company Limited, the Chinese manufacturer, was designed to verify the equipment’s technical performance, quality and compliance with contractual specifications and international operational standards before shipment to Nigeria.
The development marks a significant step in the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise customs operations, strengthen border security and improve the efficiency of cargo clearance through technology-driven inspection and monitoring systems.
Leading the Nigerian delegation, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Information Communication and Technology/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, reaffirmed the commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to deploying modern technology to facilitate legitimate trade, enhance revenue generation and combat trade-related offences.
Adebakin described the Factory Acceptance Test as a critical quality-assurance process to ensure that the equipment meets required specifications and is suitable for operational deployment.
She explained that integrating advanced cargo scanners with the Electronic Cargo Tracking System would improve cargo examination, reduce clearance delays, strengthen the detection of concealed and prohibited items, and enhance revenue collection.
According to her, the Service is determined to deploy reliable, fit-for-purpose technology capable of accelerating cargo processing while strengthening national security.
The systems are designed to complement each other by facilitating non-intrusive cargo inspection and enabling real-time monitoring of consignments from ports to their final destinations. This is expected to strengthen the Customs Service’s ability to prevent cargo diversion, concealment and other trade-related violations.
Also speaking, the Acting Comptroller of Non-Intrusive Inspection, Deputy Comptroller Umar Madugu, said the new scanners and tracking system would significantly reduce the need for 100 per cent physical examination of cargo.
He noted that the technology would minimise human contact during cargo inspections, curb diversion and improve operational efficiency across Customs formations.
Representing TMPL, the company’s General Manager, Bamidele Chinedu, described the successful completion of the exercise as an important milestone in the implementation of the Trade Modernisation Project.
He said integrating non-intrusive inspection equipment with electronic cargo tracking was central to the project’s objective of establishing a transparent, efficient and technology-driven customs administration.
In his remarks, Nuctech Company Limited’s Project Manager, Niu Chao, assured the Nigerian delegation of the company’s commitment to providing quality equipment, technical support, capacity building and after-sales services.
The exercise also featured technical training for personnel from the Nigeria Customs Service and TMPL on the operation, handling and maintenance of the scanners and electronic tracking system.
The training is expected to strengthen local technical capacity, facilitate the smooth deployment of the equipment and support its long-term sustainability once operational in Nigeria.
The planned deployment represents another step towards a more technology-driven customs system, with the potential to improve trade facilitation, strengthen revenue assurance and enhance the monitoring of goods moving through the country’s supply chains.
