Trade facilitation: Customs at airport seeks stakeholders’ compliance with NICIS II

Trade facilitation: Customs at airport seeks stakeholders’ compliance with NICIS II

.Says the platform will boost regional trade with Nigeria as hub

By Udeme Clement 

In a bid to enhance trade facilitation and increase revenue generation for the Federal Government, the Murtala Mohammed Airport Command, MMAC, of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has implored Stakeholders to embrace the new Customs clearing process; Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II), launched at the Command by the Technical Team Unit, Abuja.

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Command, Comptroller Shoboiki Jayne (Mrs), PhD,  made this known through the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ephraim Joseph Haruna, saying that the modules for E-Manifest, E-payment, an electronic form ‘M’, Risk Assessment Reports (RARs) now Pre Arrival Access Report (PAAR) and Passenger Baggage Entry Declaration are incorporated into NICIS II platform for greater efficiency.

 According to her, “One of the benefits of NICIS is its ability to interface with other government agencies and private stakeholders, who are still working toward upgrading their systems in ways conducive to eventual creation of fully integrated e-trade platform. Also, NICIS II has an increased automation, with greater use of Risk Management and reduces the rate of physical examination of goods. NICIS II platform has the capacity of streamlining clearance by introducing a Trade Portal Manager (TPM), used by Traders to capture declaration from any point with their Phones, Ipads and Laptops.  This platform allows automatic triggering of release after payment.”

She went on, “With the introduction of NICIS II platform at MMA Command, we enjoin all stakeholders to cooperate with the Service, as this upgraded platform will improve the clearance processes and facilitate regional trade using Nigeria as a hub for goods in transit to other countries”.

The CAC noted with concern the teething problems that stakeholders are passing through at this initial stage. She implored them to bear with the System, as the Technical Unit and Webb Fontaine are on ground to resolve the problems.

In the same vein, the CAC met with Terminal Operators and sought their understanding in the area of demurrage, as necessary measures are being put in place to resolve the challenges.