Buhari approves digitalisation of Customs

By Samson Echenim

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the digitalisation project of the Nigeria Customs Service known as e-Customs.

Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of Customs, disclosed this at the graduation of senior course three of Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja at the weekend.

Ali, a retired army colonel, said the deployment of technology would go a long way in enhancing activities of the service.

He explained that E-Customs would change the manner the NCS operates.

According to him, when fully deployed, all the processes, including local administration, clearing of goods and services will be done electronically.

He said, “Export and import processing will be paperless. We need to up our game in our knowledge of computer because in the next one and half years, if you don’t have knowledge in computer, you cannot function in Customs. Your performance evaluation report will not be written on paper. You will fill it online and your superior will assess you online.”

He advised officers to invest in self-education and capacity development in line with the digitalisation process.

“We need to tell ourselves that even if it will take you through private studies to learn, do so, you must learn how to use computer because everything will be fully computerised,’’ he said.

The customs boss also disclosed that the NCS board had approved the change in name of the institution from Command and Staff College to Training and Doctrine Command.

He also said that the college would serve as component that would coordinate and ensure that other training colleges of the service were fully articulated.

Thirty-nine officers graduated from senior course three, while one death was recorded during the programme.