Nigeria Customs Resolves System Glitch Affecting PAAR Certificate Transmission
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has clarified the cause of recent delays in the transmission of Product Certificates for Form M and Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) documents required for Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) processing on its B’Odogwu platform, assuring stakeholders that the issue has now been fully resolved.
Concerns had been raised by importers and licensed customs agents over disruptions that temporarily hindered the accurate capture of Form M, PAAR, and Single Goods Declaration (SGD) data.
According to the NCS, the challenge arose from technical integration difficulties encountered during the onboarding of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) onto the B’Odogwu platform on 23 July 2025.
The technical issues identified included limited space for entering trader names, incorrect data formatting, missing 10-digit product codes, ambiguous error prompts, and challenges linking the Tax Identification Number (TIN) to trader profiles.
While the NCS promptly rectified the glitches within its own system, further coordination was required to resolve the outstanding issues from SON’s end.
In a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, PhD, the Service confirmed that as of Wednesday, 6 August 2025, both agencies had successfully restored seamless transmission of Product Certificates and SONCAP documents. The backlog of affected transactions is currently being cleared.
To strengthen stakeholder support and ensure smooth operations, the NCS has rolled out nationwide implementation of the B’Odogwu platform across its four operational zones — A, B, C, and D — with trained officers on the ground to provide direct technical assistance to traders and licensed agents.
The Service also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, collaboration, and engagement with stakeholders. Regular training sessions are ongoing across various commands, aimed at enhancing user competence and providing a forum for identifying and addressing operational issues on the platform.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains dedicated to ensuring that trade processes are not only efficient but also transparent and responsive to stakeholder needs,” Maiwada stated.
