By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has partnered with the World Bank Group to strengthen its Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) system as part of efforts to enhance revenue collection, improve compliance management and facilitate legitimate trade.

The initiative, being implemented under the World Bank-supported Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, commenced with a two-week technical assistance mission at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking at the opening of the programme, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Babatunde Olomu, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the exercise aligns with the Service’s modernisation drive aimed at building a technology-driven and intelligence-led customs administration.

According to him, modern customs operations are increasingly shifting from transaction-based controls to risk-based and post-clearance interventions that encourage voluntary compliance while supporting economic growth.

Olomu said the mission would enable the Service to review existing audit procedures, identify operational gaps and adopt international best practices to strengthen its compliance management framework.

“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 Post-Clearance Audit framework and overall compliance management system,” he said.

He noted that areas of focus include risk-based targeting, case management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems.

Also speaking, the World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the programme was designed to equip Customs officers with modern audit tools, global best practices and internationally recognised methodologies.

Kajubi stressed the need for technology-driven and data-based approaches 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.

Lead Consultant for the ARMOR Programme, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the initiative would support efforts to optimise revenue generation, enhance trade facilitation and strengthen compliance management through a more structured audit process.

During the technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Muhammad Jubril demonstrated the Post-Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, highlighting how officers can deploy risk indicators and Harmonised Commodity codes in audit reviews.

The programme, which runs until June 12, is expected to strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service’s audit capacity and support ongoing reforms aimed at improving revenue assurance, transparency and ease of doing business.

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