By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) in collaboration with the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, as part of efforts to strengthen compliance management, revenue assurance and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.
The workshop, which began on June 1 and will run until June 12, 2026, is being held at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General Babatunde Olomu described the mission as a major milestone in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and enhancing its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led and globally competitive customs administration.
Olomu said modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based and post-clearance interventions that encourage voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.
According to him, the mission provides an opportunity for the Service to evaluate existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices and develop practical solutions aimed at strengthening the Post Clearance Audit framework.
He identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems as key focus areas of the programme.
Olomu noted that an effective Post Clearance Audit system enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a broader compliance management approach that enhances revenue collection, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency and improves public confidence.
“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system,” he said.
The senior customs officer also commended Adeniyi for his commitment to modernisation and capacity development, while appreciating the World Bank and other development partners for their continued support towards customs reforms in Nigeria.
He urged participants to actively engage in the programme and ensure that lessons learnt are translated into measurable improvements in operational efficiency.
Also speaking, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission was designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools and internationally recognised methodologies.
Kajubi explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques and compliance management strategies that could be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.
He stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring and trade facilitation outcomes.
“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations,” he said.
Kajubi expressed confidence that the programme would enhance institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the modernisation objectives of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Lead Consultant for the ARMOR Programme, Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue generation and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.
He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to strengthen accountability and operational efficiency.
Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.
During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.
In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima urged participants to take full advantage of the workshop and apply the knowledge acquired to support the strategic objectives of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by the NCS to modernise its operations, improve compliance management and strengthen revenue collection through technology-driven customs administration.
