The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the World Bank Group have commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme. The programme is aimed at strengthening compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.
The workshop, which runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, is taking place at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General, Babatunde Olomu, described the mission as a significant step in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive customs administration.
He noted that modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based, and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.
According to him, the mission offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices, and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework.
Olomu identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardization, and integrated audit systems as key areas of focus.
He emphasized that effective Post-Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency, and boosts public confidence.
“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system.” he stated.
ACG Olomu appreciated the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support for Customs reforms, and commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to modernization and capacity building.
He urged participants to actively engage throughout the programme and ensure that lessons learned are translated into measurable improvements in daily operations.
Speaking at the event, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission is designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools, and internationally recognized methodologies.
He explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques, and compliance management strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.
Kajubi stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems, and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring, and trade facilitation outcomes.
“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that the engagement would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernization objectives.
Lead Consultant for the ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimize revenue, and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.
He emphasized the need for standardized audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms, and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to improve accountability and operational efficiency.
Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.
During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonized Commodity codes and other risk indicators.
