Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new digital platform, the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS)to streamline baggage declaration and significantly cut waiting times for inbound international passengers at Nigeria’s airports.
The system was unveiled on Monday, 18 May 2026, at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, marking what officials described as a major milestone in the Service’s ongoing digital transformation drive.
Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said SCADS was developed to offer a more robust alternative after operational glitches affected the previous passenger declaration platform.
“When the earlier platform experienced operational challenges, we chose not to see it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient,” she said.
Adebakin noted that the new platform enables passengers to declare items before arrival, which will speed up clearance procedures while strengthening compliance and operational accountability.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” she added.
She emphasised that SCADS will also enhance revenue integrity by eliminating subjective manual assessments.
“When we talk about revenue collection, it is not about collecting more or less. It is about collecting the right revenue. With this system, assessment will now be more objective, accurate and driven by data,” she said.
The DCG commended the Non-Intrusive Inspection Unit, members of the deployment team and technical partners for their contributions to the pilot rollout.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller of the FCT Area Command, Comptroller Victoria Alibo, described the Command’s selection for the pilot phase as a recognition of its operational competence.
She explained that SCADS merges passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into one digital interface aligned with international Customs best practices.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” Comptroller Alibo stated.
According to her, the pilot phase will run for five days, from Monday, 18 May to Friday, 22 May 2026, during which officers will test the system in a live operational setting before nationwide deployment.
The event drew senior Customs officials, representatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, partner government agencies, technical teams and other stakeholders in the aviation and border management ecosystem.