Business

NCS Consolidates Modernisation Project For Trade Facilitation

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has convened a steering committee meeting as part of measures to consolidate on previous gains achieved in the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), aimed at enhancing trade facilitation.
The CGC, who addressed TMP Steering Committee during a closed-door meeting held at the Customs corporate headquarters in Abuja last Thursday, disclosed that the project is geared towards achieving end-to-end automation of the processes and procedures of the Service.
“The Trade Modernisation Project encompasses the Unified Customs Management System, Trade Portal, and Cargo Release System, alongside Automation Services such as Big Data & AI Integration and Document Management System, as well as Transition & Handbook, covering Technology Upgrades and Enhanced Capacity Building”, he said.
The project, The Tide gathered, has been identified as a milestone, as it highlights the significance of digitisation for transparency, efficiency and effectiveness.
According to him, it sets the stage for adapting to evolving market dynamics in trade, optimising operations and procedures, and creating new pathways to unlock revenue streams.
Addressing the members of the NCS TMP Steering Committee, the CGC reiterated that the project is designed to last for 20 years and has three phases, which are Core Services, Automation Services, Transition, and Handback.
He said, “This project will be able to address the challenges before us, answer tough questions, and make good decisions that will propel the service forward. We will discuss some of the highlights in detail so that we can review the implementation of decisions taken.
“I’m optimistic that we will have robust discussions and make very good decisions. I’ve also seen some highlights of the reports of the last meeting. Hopefully, along the line, we will discuss those in detail”.
He emphasised that the team, as it stands, has a solid foundation that will assist them in reviewing the implementation of progressive decisions.
Chairman of the Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Saleh Ahmadu reiterated his team’s full support for the Service.
He revealed that software has been created to integrate revenue collection to support the NCS revenue target of N6 trillion for 2024. He also expressed optimism that the steering committee would strive to overcome its everyday challenges.

Meanwhile, the Senate, Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, has approved a total of N5.079 trillion as revenue target and N706.4 billion as budget for the Service for the 2024 fiscal year.

The approval for the sum of N5.079 trillion revenue target and N706.4 billion annual budget followed consideration of a report presentation by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise, and Tariff, Jibrin Isah (APC-Kogi), at the plenary last Thursday.

Addressing the plenary, Isah highlighted personnel costs at N225.99 billion and overhead costs at N111.76 billion, representing 31.99 and 15.82 percent of the budget.

“Also, ongoing capital projects stood at N148.42 billion while new projects, which represents 52.19 percent, earmarked for N220.26 billion”, he said.

Providing a breakdown of the budget, he added that the timely rollout of the 2024 fiscal policy would enable the Service to commence implementation promptly.

In his words, “As part of Customs strategy, the provision of the flexible window will help curb illegally imported vehicles and ensure the proper collection of expected import duties and 25 percent penalty charge from such category of transactions.

“Mechanisms such as systems audit, real-time auditing, post clearance auditing, institution of revenue recovery committee and other intelligence gathering tools will ensure intensive revenue recovery drive”.

The revised penalties and charges in the new Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which he noted, will improve the service’s revenue generation.

On anti-smuggling and cargo tracking, the committee Chairman stated that the service looks forward to collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers Council and other relevant government agencies to decongest and achieve efficient, effective port operations, which would yield more revenue.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.