The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Port Command, is set to revolutionise cargo clearance operations with the planned installation of three new scanners that will enable the examination of up to 200 containers per hour.
Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Oluwadare Oshoba, disclosed this during an inspection of the installation site in Lagos. He noted that the scanners, to be strategically positioned at the quay side, would ensure that no consignment escapes high-tech, non-intrusive inspection.
Oshoba praised Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for driving the modernisation process, describing the location of the scanners as a masterstroke. He also charged officers to prepare for train-the-trainer sessions to maximise the use of the new equipment.
According to him, the scanners, the first of their kind in West and Central Africa, represent a milestone in the Service’s modernisation agenda. He urged importers, exporters, and agents to embrace sincere declaration practices, warning that concealment and false documentation would be easily exposed by the technology.
“Our partners, the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), have assured us that installation will take 45 days. We expect two scanners from them and one from APM Terminals, ensuring zero downtime for examinations and reinforcing Apapa’s status as Nigeria’s leading port,” Oshoba said.
TMP Team Leader, Aliyu Suleiman, explained that the equipment, NUCTECH FS6000, uses dual-energy X-ray transmission technology to scan trucks and containers in a single pass, operating at speeds of up to 15 km/h. He noted that the system provides detailed images to detect contraband and dangerous materials while integrating with systems such as License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
In addition to the fixed scanners, APM Terminals has pledged a mobile scanner to provide backup during unforeseen downtimes.
The project is expected to save time, increase revenue, boost security, and promote efficient trade facilitation at Nigeria’s busiest port.
