NCS-Walking the path of Technology to Drive its operations
ZAINAB JUNAID
The 2023 World Customs Organization (WCO) Technology Conference and Exhibition held in Hanoi, Vietnam, has not only broadened the experience of the Nigeria Customs Officers team led by the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who attended the event but also impacted more on Adewale's policy thrust of Collaboration, Innovation and Consultation.
A strategy he has embarked upon to revive the Service from its comatose state since he took over reigns of leadership of NCS in June 2023.
The Conference under the theme "Embracing the Digital Age: leveraging technology, fostering innovation, and Nurturing the Next Generations of Customs Professionals." explored how innovation and technology can support Customs in performing its functions of trade facilitation, protection of society and revenue collection, while placing people at the heart of the digital transformation process.
Being a pivotal event for over a decade, the Conference maintained its tradition of exposing participants to advanced technological solutions for addressing complex customs challenges.
The Acting Comptroller General of Customs overwhelmed with this year's event, believes adopting the technological solutions learnt at the Conference will be a game-changer for Nigeria as it improve trade facilitation and revenue generation.
He said, "We've learned a lot, seeing the deployment of artificial intelligence, machine learning, non-intrusive technology, and various data analytics to analyze customs issues and provide solutions."
He emphasized the significance of the WCO Technology Conference, which has been a pivotal event for over a decade, providing a platform for customs administrations, partner companies, sponsors, technology firms, and more to collaborate and exchange insights on the effective integration of technology in customs operations.
Some take-aways from the Conference include - the breakout sessions that delved into contemporary challenges and innovative solutions in diverse areas, especially gender equality, of which Chief Superintendent of Customs Oluwabukola Omoniyi, a delegate from Nigeria was part of the discussants; the automation and AI-driven approach to improving customs operations in which the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of ICT/Modernization, ACG Kikelomo Adeola said she will embraced back in Nigeria.
Jummai Umar Ajijola, the Managing Director of the Trade Modernization Project, who also attended the Conference emphasized the strong partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Trade Modernization Project, highlighting their alignment to ensure the end-to-end automation of Nigeria Customs Service processes and procedures.
The Conference underscored the importance of technology in customs operations and the continuous development of customs professionals, which has been the policy thrust of the Ag.CGC since his appointment as NCS Boss by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, especially on how to improve service delivery of Men and Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
His strategic way of reshaping Nigeria Customs Service system and simultaneously enhancing Trade Facilitation, Increasing revenue generation and also protecting llves of citizens across all borders in the country, by engaging in strategic collaborations with Local and international experts, Security Agencies, among others is like a rancher taking a bull by the horn.
With the strategic method adopted by the Ag. CG Bashir Adewale MFR and If Men of the service continued to partake in World Conference Organisation(WCO) programmes and also apply the knowledge acquired into their operations, the alleged menace battlling the Nigerian Customs Service systemic administrative issues will soon be a thing of the past.
