The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to streamline port charges by eliminating the current 7 percent Customs collection fee and the 1 percent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) charge, replacing both with a single 4 percent Free On Board (FOB) levy.
This new policy is aimed at supporting the rollout of the B’Odogwu Clearance System, a homegrown digital platform designed to modernize and simplify Customs operations in line with global standards.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, Comptroller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi addressed stakeholders from across the trade and logistics industry, including importers, freight forwarders, terminal operators, shipping lines, and banks.
He explained that the 4 percent FOB levy is essential for sustaining the technological transformation of the service. “At the heart of our transformation is the B’Odogwu platform. We need sustainable funding to elevate it to global standards. That is why the 4 percent FOB levy is being introduced, not to burden importers but to enable innovation and efficiency,” he said.
Adeniyi clarified that the charge is not arbitrary, noting that it was provided for under the Customs Act of 2023 during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. “We have no choice but to introduce the levy because technology does not come cheap. As we say in Yoruba, the soup that is sweet is made with money,” he added.
The Customs boss assured that the reform would lead to faster processing, reduced delays, and greater transparency across Nigeria’s port system.
