By Bon Peters
PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has called on agents and maritime stakeholders in Nigeria’s Eastern Ports corridor to adopt the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), popularly known as B’Odogwu, describing it as a critical tool for trade facilitation and efficient cargo clearance.
The appeal followed a one-day Sensitization Summit organized jointly by the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) and Global Rays Media in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. The summit, themed “Ports Cargo Clearance and Logistics: A B’Odogwu Connectivity and E-Call Up”, brought together key industry players to explore the benefits of the new system.
Represented at the event by the B’Odogwu Project Manager, Zone C, Assistant Comptroller AC Abass Oladepo, the CGC emphasized that the system ensures seamless trade operations, reduces delays, and enhances efficiency for agents, traders, and transporters at the ports.
“The essence of B’Odogwu is to enable goods to be cleared without delay, ensuring trucks can access ports promptly via the E-Call Up system,” Adeniyi said, noting that the system, first launched at Ports and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML), Lagos, on October 23, 2024, has facilitated over N2 trillion in revenue since inception.
While acknowledging the natural resistance to new technologies, Adeniyi urged stakeholders to embrace B’Odogwu, emphasizing its superiority over the previous Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS). He assured that the Customs Service remains committed to resolving technical challenges and maintaining a smooth, transparent cargo clearance process.
Earlier, Comrade Prince Obinna Ugochukwu, in his welcome address, highlighted the need for stakeholder awareness on the B’Odogwu and E-Call Up systems, noting that they are designed to enhance trade efficiency, reduce congestion, and strengthen revenue generation. “Since its introduction, B’Odogwu has proven faster, time-saving, and convenient, despite minor network hitches,” he said.
The summit also featured presentations on the E-Call Up system, a truck tracking and registration initiative introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to facilitate orderly port access and documentation. Speakers, including Surajudeen Abolade of Onne Port and Mrs. Ify Okolue of the Nigerian Shippers Council Eastern Zone, emphasized strict compliance to ensure smooth port operations.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session and the presentation of Excellence Awards to distinguished individuals, parastatals, and companies, including CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, MD NPA, Barr. Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, West African Container Terminal, Onne Multipurpose Terminal, and others.
Mr. Charles Okogbue, Commercial Manager of Onne Multipurpose Terminal, expressed gratitude for the recognition, affirming the company’s commitment to collaborating with innovations that enhance service delivery.
Also in attendance were critical stakeholders from ANLCA, NAGAFF, and the Customs Area 1 Command, led by Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, who pledged an open-door policy, trade facilitation, and the absence of cargo delays at Port Harcourt.
