…NCS new digital system targets faster passenger clearance, accurate duty assessment at Abuja Airport

By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new digital declaration platform aimed at eliminating airport clearance delays, improving transparency in duty collection and modernising passenger processing at the nation’s international airports.

The Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS) was officially unveiled on Monday at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, marking a significant step in the Service’s ongoing digital transformation drive.

Speaking at the launch, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the initiative as a major breakthrough under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.

According to her, the platform was developed after operational setbacks affected the Service’s previous passenger declaration system earlier this year.

“When the earlier platform experienced operational challenges, we chose not to see it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient,” Adebakin said.

The new SCADS platform allows inbound international passengers to declare baggage and dutiable items before arrival, a process expected to significantly reduce waiting time and ease congestion at airport terminals.

Officials said the system will also eliminate manual bottlenecks by automating revenue assessment based on the quantity, category and actual value of declared goods.

“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” Adebakin stated.
She added that the platform would ensure greater transparency in Customs revenue collection by introducing data-driven assessments.

“When we talk about revenue collection, it is not about collecting more or less. It is about collecting the right revenue. With this system, assessment will now be more objective, accurate and driven by data,” she said.

Earlier, the Customs Area Controller of the FCT Area Command, Comptroller Victoria Alibo, said the selection of the Abuja Command for the pilot phase reflected confidence in the Command’s operational strength.
Alibo explained that SCADS combines passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations within a unified digital framework designed to align Nigeria’s Customs operations with global best practices.

“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” she noted.

She disclosed that the pilot phase of the project would run from May 18 to May 22, 2026, allowing Customs officers and technical teams to test the platform in a live operational environment before nationwide deployment.

The launch ceremony attracted senior Customs officials, representatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), partner government agencies and stakeholders in the aviation and border management sector.