The Nigeria Customs Service has begun a two-week technical assistance mission on post clearance audit with support from the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme. The initiative runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, at the Service's headquarters in Maitama, Abuja. It aims to improve compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.
Assistant Comptroller-General Babatunde Olomu, speaking on behalf of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, described the mission as a key step in modernising the Service into a technology-driven, intelligence-led customs administration. He said modern customs operations rely on risk-based, post-clearance interventions that support voluntary compliance and economic growth. The mission will assess current processes, identify gaps, and adopt international best practices to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) framework.
Key focus areas include risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation, and integrated audit systems. Olomu stated that effective PCA allows Customs to shift from transaction-based controls to strategic compliance management, improving transparency and 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 said.
World Bank Task Team Lead Moses Kajubi said the mission will equip officers with practical tools, global best practices, and data-driven decision-making techniques adaptable to Nigeria's context. He highlighted the role of technology and structured case management in improving audit quality and trade facilitation. Lead Consultant for ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission aims to optimise revenue, enhance trade facilitation, and improve compliance through standardised methodologies and data analytics. He referenced the use of technology-driven solutions such as the B'Odogwu platform.
The Nigeria Customs Service is pushing for a technology-driven, intelligence-led system while still relying on external partners to deliver core audit training. The Comptroller-General champions modernisation, yet the need for World Bank support to implement basic audit frameworks raises questions about institutional self-sufficiency. If the B'Odogwu platform is central to reform, its performance in live operations remains unverified by the source. The mission's success will depend on whether standardised practices are retained beyond the two-week programme.
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