Customs Unveils Smart Declaration System to Eliminate Airport Clearance Delays
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new digital platform, the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS), aimed at reducing airport clearance delays, improving passenger experience and strengthening Customs operations across the country’s international airports.
The platform was officially unveiled on Monday, 18 May 2026, at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Designed to simplify baggage declaration for inbound international passengers, SCADS is expected to minimise manual bottlenecks, enhance transparency in duty assessment and improve operational efficiency.
Speaking during the launch, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the deployment as another milestone in the Service’s digital transformation drive under the leadership of Adewale Adeniyi.
According to her, the initiative was introduced following operational challenges experienced with the Service’s earlier passenger declaration platform 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 stated.
She explained that the new system enables passengers to make declarations before arriving in Nigeria, thereby reducing clearance time and improving compliance.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” she added.
The DCG further noted that SCADS would eliminate subjective revenue assessments, as duties would now be automatically generated based on the value, quantity and nature of declared items.
“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.
Adebakin also commended officers of the Non-Intrusive Inspection Unit, members of the deployment team and technical partners for supporting the successful pilot rollout.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller of the FCT Area Command, Victoria Alibo, described the selection of the Command for the pilot phase as a testament to its operational capacity.
She noted that the platform integrates passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into a unified digital framework aligned with global Customs standards.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” Alibo said.
She disclosed that the pilot phase would run from Monday, 18 May to Friday, 22 May 2026, allowing officers to assess the system in a live operational environment ahead of nationwide deployment.
The launch ceremony attracted senior Customs officers, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, partner government agencies, technical teams and other stakeholders within Nigeria’s aviation and border management sector.