The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has expressed concern over the persistent downtime affecting the newly introduced B’Odogwu unified digital customs management system operated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
According to the association, constant system failures have slowed down cargo clearance processes at the ports, leading to growing financial losses for clearing agents and importers.
Speaking on the issue, ANLCA Vice President, Segun Oduntan, admitted that the platform has suffered several glitches. He added that although there have been signs of improvement, the system must be stable enough to handle the heavy import traffic that characterises this period of the year.
“I agree there were glitches, but there has been some improvement and we hope this will be sustained,” he noted.
A former Vice President of ANLCA, Kayode Farinto, described the situation as a major setback for port operations, warning that the repeated breakdowns have cost the economy billions of naira.
He explained that the “Ember months” usually come with a predictable spike in import activities, which requires strong digital infrastructure and proper contingency plans. However, he said the current system and backup arrangements are far from adequate.
Farinto noted that B’Odogwu was introduced to modernise customs processes and cut down long cargo dwell times, but the recurring outages have instead created anxiety among stakeholders.
He warned that importers are now facing mounting demurrage and storage fees from shipping companies and terminal operators due to delays they did not cause. He added that perishable goods trapped in the ports are also at risk, leading to possible spoilage, wastage and further pressure on food prices.
According to him, the disruptions have extended to the wider supply chain, affecting timely access to raw materials and finished goods. This, he said, could trigger production delays, temporary factory shutdowns, job losses and higher costs for consumers.
