The background
Nigeria is Africa's largest economy with a GDP of approximately $490 billion. The country significantly influences global trade and holds the 39th position in the global economy. However, despite the size of the trade landscape, many of Nigeria's Agency and Regulatory processes were manual and time-consuming, which hindered their trade efficiency, thus necessitating a revamp on their system to improve and streamline their trade operations.
The Federal Government of Nigeria took an action and appointed Webb Fontaine as the solution provider to modernise and automate the revenue collection processes and infrastructure -specifically in the import and export sectors. Overseeing the import and export business processes, Nigeria Customs Service became the focal point of this modernisation initiative.
Leveraging our wealth of experience, cutting-edge technologies, and commitment to delivering high-quality results, as evidenced by several successful projects worldwide, Webb Fontaine kicked off the project with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to achieve their goals by implementing the Webb Customs solution.
The action
Webb Fontaine deployed two key solutions: the Trade Portal Management (TPM) and the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II). The Trade Portal Management provided a Single Window Platform, allowing regulatory agencies to offer services in an end-to-end electronic transaction chain. NICIS II empowered the Nigerian Customs Service with backend management and control of import/export processes, monitoring and supervising relevant transactions.
We developed several modules on NICIS II. One key module within TPM is the Single Goods Declaration (SGD), which acts as the backbone of NCS's revenue collection and import/export management. Implementing SGD online ensured vital trade continuity during the COVID-19 lockdown, showcasing the system's flexibility. Additionally, the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), another key module, significantly enhanced declaration accuracy.
Other modules deployed are as follows:
Import and export
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Form M Application for importation Forex which lead to vital import data quality improvement.
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E-License for NAFDAC digital import/ export certificates that regulate food and drug importation safeguarding the Nation’s health.
Regulatory
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SON Product Certificate and SONCAP Certificate are digital permits used to regulate and control the quality standards of imported manufactured products.
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The Transit and Passenger Baggage Declarations were automated under the SGD to facilitate a quicker, smoother process for People and goods in transportation.
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The Simplified Declaration (SD) was developed to cover informal cross – border trade thus reducing revenue leakage thru this sector.
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The Currency Declaration Form (CDF) and its enforcement arm the Seizure Form were developed and refined to better facilitate Travel Currency Management.
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E-auction module developed to facilitate de sale of seized goods by NCS.
Webb Fontaine’s commitment goes beyond technology implementation. We facilitated rigorous training programs for Nigerian Customs Service, other agencies, and the public sector, ensuring staff and stakeholders could confidently utilise the new systems. We upgraded IT and telecommunication infrastructure in all Customs stations across Nigeria to international standards. We also deployed and maintained West Africa's widest and most efficient government telecommunications private network.
To create a conducive working environment for Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) personnel, we renovated and maintained 33 NCS area command sites, totalling more than 18,000 square meters of office space, to international standards. Additionally, we deployed a comprehensive power production and distribution system, along with the supply of consumables, for all NCS offices using NICIS II.
