Customs announce plans to streamline import charges
Nigerian importers may experience a reduction in duty pay as the Nigeria Customs Service plans to scrap the one per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme and seven per cent Cost of Collection following the proposed reintroduction of a four per cent Free on Board charge.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this on Monday in Lagos during a town hall meeting with stakeholders on B’Odogwu clearance platform, themed ‘Enhancing trade compliance and system optimisation through stakeholders’ engagement, organised by the NCS.
In February 2025, The PUNCH reported that the NCS announced the implementation of a four per cent charge on the Free On-Board value of imports.
The Spokesman of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, while announcing this in a statement, explained that the directive was in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
“In line with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of NCSA 2023, the NCS is implementing a four per cent charge on the Free On-Board (FOB) value of imports. The FOB charge, which is calculated based on the value of imported goods, including the cost of goods and transportation expenses incurred up to the port of loading, is essential to driving the effective operation of the service.
“Furthermore, the NCS acknowledges concerns raised by stakeholders over the sustained collection of one per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme fee,” he said
Meanwhile, this is coming weeks after the NCS suspended the implementation of the charge, following widespread criticisms amongst stakeholders.
However, giving an update on the fee, Adeniyi said the reintroduction of the four per cent FOB, “will wipe out one per cent CISS and seven per cent Cost of Collection, which is also being charged.”
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Stakeholders commend customs
In a similar development, stakeholders operating in the nation’s maritime industry, including banks, freight forwarders, and other agencies, have commended the management of the Nigeria Customs Service for introducing B’Odogwu, an indigenous Unified Customs Management System.
These stakeholders stated this on Monday in Lagos during a town hall meeting with stakeholders on B’Odogwu clearance platform, themed ‘Enhancing trade compliance and system optimisation through stakeholders’ engagement, organised by the NCS.
While commending the service for the platform, these stakeholders also listed some issues still affecting the platform, which include migration from the old platform to B’Odogwu, banks’ inability to make amendments on the platform, and classification of Harmonised System Code between the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
Speaking during the event, Factory Logistics Manager, British American Tobacco, Olusina Ogunlesi, explained that under the B’Odogwu platform, the level of stakeholders’ engagement has improved, unlike what it obtained under the old platform.
“Customs engagements with stakeholders have been top-notch under this new platform. The major challenge with the former platform was that it wasn’t user-friendly. During the former platform, there was always one challenge or the other coupled with frequent network challenges. But this new platform has taken care of some of these challenges,” he said.
The Head of Standard Organisation of Nigeria’s Conformity Assessment Program, Lagos, Mr. Onyeji Frances, while urging the service to tackle some of the challenges with the new platform, added that it has also improved the transmission of SONCAP.
