ECOWAS Applauds Customs over B’Odogwu Innovation, Rising ...

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the successful development and deployment of its home-grown Unified Customs Management System, popularly known as B’Odogwu, citing its impact on trade facilitation and revenue generation.

Director of Trade at ECOWAS, Mr Kolawole Sofola, gave the commendation during a visit by the Regional Trade Facilitation Committee (RTFC) to the PTML Command of the NCS in Lagos, which served as the pilot site for the B’Odogwu project.

Sofola, who led the ECOWAS delegation, praised Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for championing the innovation, and lauded the achievements recorded at PTML under the leadership of Comptroller Tenny Mankini Daniyan. He said the deployment of the B’Odogwu platform was a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to embracing technology to drive economic growth.

“On behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission and the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, I congratulate Comptroller Daniyan and his team for their exceptional work. They are not only generating significant revenue but also curbing smuggling and promoting trade facilitation,” Sofola said.

He described the initiative as a best practice worth emulating across the sub-region, adding that the evolution from previous customs systems to B’Odogwu shows Nigeria’s readiness to modernise its trade environment.

“This system is home-grown and tailored to Nigeria’s needs. We are glad to see this kind of innovation coming from within the region. Nigeria is leading by example,” he added.

In his presentation to the RTFC delegation, Comptroller Daniyan disclosed that the PTML Command has collected over N230 billion through the B’Odogwu platform between its launch in November 2023 and May 22, 2025.

He explained that the success recorded at PTML led to the wider deployment of the platform to 34 other customs commands nationwide.

“The B’Odogwu project is a unique, indigenous solution developed by officers of the NCS in collaboration with the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP). Since its launch, it has significantly enhanced cargo clearance, with the command now operating a two-hour cargo release window,” Daniyan said.

He added that consistent stakeholder engagement, training, and capacity building—encouraged by the Comptroller General—have been instrumental to the project’s success. These sessions, he said, include customs officers, bankers, terminal operators, and other partners involved in the customs clearance process.

The Controller explained that the B’Odogwu system replaced the older Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II), and despite the expected teething issues that come with new technology, its advantages far outweigh any initial challenges.

“We give full credit to the CGC. His visionary leadership and unwavering support gave birth to this platform. He has inspired us all to innovate and improve continuously,” Daniyan added.

Assistant Comptroller Oyindamola Abass Oladepo, the Project Manager for B’Odogwu, also gave a detailed history of the system’s development. During his presentation, he revealed that the platform once generated N5.6 billion in a single day, highlighting its revenue potential.

The RTFC visit to PTML marks a significant recognition of Nigeria’s strides in customs modernisation and economic integration within the West African region.