The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Seme Area Command, has reduced passenger baggage clearance turnaround time to under five minutes following the full deployment of its Simplified Declaration for Passenger Baggage Import system.

The digital system is designed to simplify baggage declaration and assessment, reduce manual processes, improve transparency and facilitate the movement of legitimate passengers and cross-border traders through the Seme border corridor.

Under the system, passengers can initiate baggage declarations using mobile devices or complete the process at designated digital kiosks at the Command. Standardised and pre-programmed assessment tables are used to calculate applicable duties on declared personal goods, with receipts generated automatically after payment.

The Command said the system had recorded an average baggage clearance turnaround time of less than five minutes since its deployment.

Within the first few days of implementation, the Command also generated ₦10.34 million from passenger baggage declarations, providing an automated channel for collecting applicable duties into the Federation Account.

The deployment is being accompanied by strengthened enforcement measures to ensure that faster clearance does not compromise border security or compliance with customs laws.

The Command said enhanced risk management and intelligence-led controls were being used to detect attempts to conceal commercial quantities of restricted or prohibited goods as passenger baggage.

The Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, said the initiative reflected the commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to using technology and innovative processes to improve trade facilitation, transparency, accountability and compliance at the border.

He encouraged passengers, cross-border traders and other members of the trading community to use the simplified declaration system and comply with applicable customs requirements.

Kaila added that the Command would continue working with relevant stakeholders and sister agencies at the Seme border corridor to facilitate legitimate travel and commerce while maintaining controls against smuggling and other forms of illicit cross-border trade.