NCS Unveils AI-Driven Smuggling Crackdown, Strengthens Border Enforcement
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is stepping up its fight against smuggling with artificial intelligence, data analytics and predictive border management, even as its Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone “A”, moves to intensify intelligence-led enforcement and strengthen collaboration with the media.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the Service was transitioning from traditional physical inspection and manual processes to a data-driven system capable of identifying high-risk cargo and transactions before they become enforcement threats, while ensuring faster clearance for compliant traders.
Adeniyi disclosed this in a paper presented at the 2026 Maritime Training Summit of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos, themed “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda.”
He said the growing sophistication of smuggling networks and the complexity of international trade had made conventional Customs operations inadequate, stressing that modern border management was no longer about inspecting more cargo but about identifying the right consignments for intervention without disrupting legitimate commerce.
According to him, the NCS is therefore deploying risk management, data analytics, automation and intelligence to create a more efficient and targeted enforcement system.
Adeniyi said artificial intelligence would increasingly be used for risk profiling, anomaly detection, cargo targeting, valuation analysis, fraud detection, predictive enforcement, identification of unusual trading patterns and document verification.
He stressed, however, that technology would complement rather than replace Customs officers, making continuous investment in human capital critical to the Service’s transformation.
“The future Customs officer will therefore need to understand not only Customs law and procedures but also data, digital systems, artificial intelligence and analytical thinking,” he said.
The Customs boss identified the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System as a major milestone in the Service’s modernisation drive, noting that the indigenous platform, initially piloted at the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) in October 2024, was designed to support a more efficient, transparent and increasingly paperless Customs environment.
He said B’Odogwu would strengthen digital declarations, valuation, risk management, cargo processing, revenue accounting, stakeholder interaction, data analytics, compliance management and inter-agency information exchange.
Adeniyi also identified the National Single Window, which entered its first phase in March 2026, as a major component of Nigeria’s trade modernisation agenda.
He said the integration of the Single Window, B’Odogwu and other digital platforms would reduce physical intervention, accelerate decision-making and lower transaction costs for legitimate traders.
While the Service is expanding its technological capacity, the FOU Zone “A” has pledged to sustain tougher enforcement against smuggling and deepen engagement with the media as part of efforts to strengthen border security, public awareness and accountability.
The Comptroller, FOU Zone “A”, Aliyu Gambo, made the commitment while appreciating AMJON for recognising the unit’s contributions to the maritime sector.
Gambo said the recognition had reinforced the unit’s determination to improve operational performance, protect Nigeria’s economic borders, curb smuggling and ensure that legitimate trade thrives in a secure and efficient environment.
He said the recognition was not a personal achievement but a reflection of the commitment of officers and men of FOU Zone “A”, particularly in intelligence-led enforcement, border security and trade facilitation.
The Comptroller also acknowledged the contributions of partner security and regulatory agencies, stressing that inter-agency collaboration remained critical to effective border management and enforcement.
“We shall continue to deepen cooperation with the media, strengthen operational excellence, and uphold the integrity of the Nigeria Customs Service in service to our nation,” Gambo said.
He commended AMJON for promoting informed discourse on maritime affairs and holding stakeholders accountable through responsible journalism, noting that the media had an important role in highlighting institutional achievements while also challenging government agencies to improve their performance.
Meanwhile, Adeniyi warned that the increasing digitisation of Customs operations must be matched by stronger cybersecurity measures because of the sensitive commercial, financial and security information handled by the Service.
He said modernisation must therefore be supported by strong authentication, data protection, cybersecurity monitoring, secure information exchange, system redundancy, business continuity arrangements and regular security assessments.
He also called for continuous training of Customs personnel in artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital trade, risk management, supply-chain security, international trade agreements, emerging technologies, professional ethics and stakeholder communication.
The Comptroller-General urged maritime journalists and other stakeholders to deepen their understanding of the digital trading environment, saying informed reporting was necessary to help Nigerians understand the implications of Customs reforms and technological changes.
He said the next phase of the Service’s transformation would focus on accelerating digital integration, strengthening data capabilities, developing a future-ready workforce, expanding public-private partnerships and institutionalising innovation.
Adeniyi said the ultimate objective was to build a Customs administration capable of securing Nigeria’s borders and protecting national economic interests without turning the borders into barriers to legitimate commerce.
“Our ambition is to facilitate legitimate trade while protecting Nigeria’s economic interests,” he said.
“We must build borders that are secure without becoming barriers to commerce. We must collect revenue without unnecessarily increasing the cost of doing business.”
He added that the Customs administration of the future would be defined not merely by the technology it possessed, but by how intelligently it deployed that technology to secure the economy, facilitate trade and serve Nigerians.
Gambo, on his part, said FOU Zone “A” would sustain its commitment to transparency, collaboration and results, assuring stakeholders that the unit would continue to work with the media and sister agencies to strengthen the fight against smuggling and promote legitimate trade.
