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By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new digital passenger declaration platform to reduce delays, improve transparency and enhance operations at Nigeria’s international airports.
The platform, known as the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS), was inaugurated at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada.
The service says SCADS was introduced to streamline baggage declarations for arriving international passengers, eliminate manual bottlenecks and improve revenue assessment processes through automation.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the initiative as an important step in the agency’s ongoing digital transformation programme.
He explained that the platform was developed after operational issues affected a previous passenger declaration system introduced earlier this year.
“When the previous platform faced operational challenges, we chose not to view it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient,” Adebakin said.
According to her, the system allows passengers to complete declarations before arriving in Nigeria, thereby reducing processing times and improving compliance procedures at airports.
He added that SCADS would also eliminate subjective revenue assessments by automatically calculating duties based on declared goods, quantities and actual values.
Adebakin noted that the system should enhance transparency and ensure more accurate customs duty assessments through data-driven processes.
Also, the Controller of Customs Area of the FCT Area Command, Controller Victoria Alibo, said the selection of Abuja for the pilot phase reflects confidence in the operational capability of the command.
He explained that SCADS integrates passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into a single digital framework aligned with international customs standards.
The pilot phase, scheduled to run from May 18 to 22, will involve customs officials, technical teams, airport authorities and other aviation government agencies before nationwide implementation.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior customs officials, representatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other aviation stakeholders.
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