Customs, World Bank Group Deepen Post Clearance Audit Capacity to Boost Revenue, Trade Facilitation

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the World Bank Group, has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme as part of efforts to strengthen compliance management, enhance revenue assurance and facilitate trade through modern audit practices.

The workshop, which began on June 1 and will run until June 12, 2026, is being held at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General Babatunde Olomu described the mission as a major milestone in the Service’s ongoing modernisation drive and its vision of becoming a technology-driven, intelligence-led and globally competitive customs administration.

Olomu noted that customs administrations across the world are increasingly adopting intelligence-led, risk-based and post-clearance interventions aimed at promoting voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic development.

He explained that the technical mission would provide an opportunity for the Service to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices and develop practical solutions that would strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework and the overall compliance management system.

According to him, the key focus areas of the programme include risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems.

He stressed that an effective Post Clearance Audit system enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a more strategic compliance management approach capable of enhancing revenue assurance, facilitating legitimate trade, promoting transparency and strengthening public confidence.

“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system,” Olomu stated.

The Assistant Comptroller-General commended the Comptroller-General of Customs for his unwavering commitment to modernisation and capacity building. He also expressed appreciation to the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support towards Customs reforms.

Olomu urged participants to fully engage in the programme and ensure that the knowledge acquired translates into measurable improvements in day-to-day operations.

Also speaking during the event, the World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission was designed to strengthen the capabilities of Post Clearance Audit officers through the adoption of modern customs practices, practical audit tools and internationally recognised methodologies.

Kajubi explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, advanced case management techniques and compliance management strategies that could be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.

He underscored the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems and data-driven decision-making processes to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring and trade facilitation outcomes.

“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations,” he said.

Kajubi expressed confidence that the exercise would significantly strengthen institutional capacity and support the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader modernisation objectives.

On his part, the Lead Consultant for the ARMOR Programme, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission was aimed at enhancing trade facilitation, optimising revenue generation and improving compliance management through a more coordinated and structured approach to Post Clearance Audit.

He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to enhance accountability and operational efficiency.

Dutt further highlighted the importance of technology-driven solutions, particularly the B’Odogwu platform, and called for the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.

During one of the technical sessions, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Muhammad Jubril demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, illustrating how officers could initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.

In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima encouraged participants to take full advantage of the training and apply the knowledge gained to advance the strategic objectives of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The technical mission forms part of broader efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service and its development partners to modernise customs operations, improve compliance mechanisms and strengthen revenue collection while facilitating legitimate trade and economic growth.