By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has commenced the full operationalisation of the Simplified Declaration for Passenger Baggage Import, as part of efforts to promote digital innovation, facilitate trade and improve passenger clearance at the border.
According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Seme Area Command, Superintendent of Customs John Tunde Ayagbalo, the deployment is designed to simplify the declaration and assessment of passenger baggage, reduce clearance time, enhance transparency and facilitate the movement of legitimate travellers and cross-border traders through the Seme border corridor.
The statement said the simplified system allows passengers to initiate baggage declarations through mobile devices or complete the process at designated digital kiosks within the Command.
It added that standardised and pre-programmed assessment tables are applied to declared personal goods, enabling the system to automatically calculate applicable duties and generate receipts upon payment.
The digital process is aimed at reducing manual procedures and discretionary assessment while providing passengers with a transparent, predictable and efficient channel for clearing dutiable goods.
Since the commencement of the deployment, the Command has recorded an average passenger baggage clearance turnaround time of less than five minutes, demonstrating the impact of digital processing on passenger facilitation.
Within the first few days of implementation, the Command also generated ₦10,340,260.02 from passenger baggage declarations, providing an automated and transparent channel for the collection of applicable duties payable to the Federation Account.
The Command said the simplified baggage declaration system is being implemented alongside strengthened enforcement measures to ensure that trade facilitation does not compromise border security or compliance with customs laws.
Through enhanced risk management and intelligence-led controls, the Command continues to identify and intercept attempts to conceal commercial quantities of restricted or prohibited goods as passenger baggage.
The statement said the deployment forms part of the Command’s broader efforts to modernise customs operations, improve the passenger experience and strengthen revenue collection through transparent and technology-driven processes.
The Command also said it would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and sister agencies operating at the Seme border corridor to ensure the smooth movement of legitimate passengers and goods, while maintaining effective controls against smuggling and other forms of cross-border illicit trade.
The Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, reaffirmed the commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, to deploying technology and innovative processes that promote trade facilitation, transparency, accountability and compliance at the nation’s borders.
Kaila encouraged passengers, cross-border traders and other members of the trading community to utilise the simplified declaration system and comply with applicable customs requirements.
He assured the public that legitimate travel and commerce would continue to receive the necessary facilitation within the framework of national security and economic protection.
