Customs Launches Smart Declaration Platform to Tackle Airport Delays
The Nigeria Customs Service has launched a new digital platform aimed at eliminating delays in passenger clearance and improving operational efficiency at the nation’s international airports.
The platform, known as the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS), was officially unveiled on Monday, 18 May 2026, at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Designed to simplify baggage declaration procedures for inbound international passengers, the system is expected to reduce manual bottlenecks, improve transparency in revenue assessment and strengthen Customs operations through automation and data-driven processes.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the deployment of SCADS as another milestone in the Service’s ongoing digital transformation drive under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
According to Adebakin, the initiative emerged following operational difficulties experienced with the Service’s previous passenger declaration platform earlier in the year.
She noted that rather than allowing the challenges to disrupt operations, the Service used the opportunity to develop a more robust and efficient system.
“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 stated.
She explained that the SCADS platform enables passengers to declare their baggage and dutiable items before arriving in Nigeria, a development expected to significantly reduce clearance time and ease passenger movement through airports.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” Adebakin added.
The Deputy Comptroller-General further explained that the new digital solution would eliminate subjective assessments in duty collection by automatically calculating payable duties based on the quantity, nature and actual value of declared items.
“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.
She also commended officers of the Non-Intrusive Inspection Unit, members of the deployment team and technical partners for their contributions towards the successful pilot rollout of the platform.
Earlier in her remarks, the Customs Area Controller of the FCT Area Command, Victoria Alibo, described the selection of the Command for the pilot phase as a strong indication of confidence in its operational capabilities.
Alibo explained that SCADS integrates passenger baggage declaration and e-commerce declarations into a unified digital framework in line with international Customs standards and global best practices.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” she said.
She disclosed that the pilot phase of the project would run for five days, from Monday, 18 May to Friday, 22 May 2026, during which Customs officers and technical teams would evaluate the platform in a live operational environment ahead of its nationwide rollout.
The launch ceremony attracted senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, partner government agencies, technical experts and other stakeholders within Nigeria’s aviation and border management sector.
The deployment of SCADS forms part of broader reforms being implemented by the Nigeria Customs Service to modernise border procedures, improve trade facilitation and enhance passenger experience through technology-driven solutions at ports and airports across the country.
