Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Area Controller of Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, has signalled a new era at one of Nigeria’s busiest gateways, declaring that he is fully prepared to champion the Nigeria Customs Service’s historic shift to a 100% paperless operation.
Speaking during an exclusive engagement with maritime journalists, Onyeka said the meeting marked the first step in a deliberate stakeholder-sensitisation drive ahead of the Service’s second-quarter rollout of the digital regime.
“When I resumed here, you supported me through constructive reportage. I am here again to seek your continued collaboration to ensure the success of the paperless regime,” he said.
Onyeka revealed that the Tin Can Command generated ₦609 billion in 2025, adding that figures from January indicate strong momentum.
The command raked in ₦145 billion last month a sharp rise from ₦116 billion in the same month last year, reflecting an increase of ₦29.9 billion.
Setting the tone for 2026, the Controller declared a shift in Customs’ operating philosophy.
“We want to do things differently. We want to be known as trade enablers,” he said.
Under the paperless regime, he explained, the Service aims to release containers with zero physical contact between officers and clearing agents a move expected to drastically reduce delays, human interference, and bottlenecks.
He credited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as the driving force behind the ambitious reforms.
“I want to be known as a trade facilitator personified,” Onyeka said with conviction.
While acknowledging the possibility of occasional network interruptions, Onyeka assured that the command’s officers are not only prepared but deeply committed.
He described them as “serious and proactive,” insisting that efficiency would not be compromised.
Addressing fears that the new system might be manipulated, Onyeka reaffirmed that the Service now operates with globally compliant processes and a new generation of properly trained officers.
He expressed strong confidence in the indigenous digital platform, B’Odogwu, which will anchor the transformation, saying it is designed to support transparency and accountability.
Onyeka dismissed suggestions that the transition might create cargo congestion, insisting that the digital shift would instead fast-track clearance processes and reduce port dwell time.