Apapa Customs Set For Trade Revolution As New Scanners Promise 200-Container Hourly Clearance

Apapa Customs Set For Trade Revolution As New Scanners Promise 200-Container Hourly Clearance

By Frank Odinukaeze

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to usher in a new era of cargo inspection, with the installation of state-of-the-art fixed scanners expected to process up to 200 containers per hour at the nation’s busiest port.
During an inspection tour of the installation site, Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Oluwadare Oshoba, described the project as a “milestone” that will transform cargo clearance and trade facilitation in Nigeria.
According to him, three scanners—two provided by the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) and one by APM Terminals—are being positioned strategically along the quayside, enabling non-intrusive checks on consignments immediately after vessels berth.
“No consignment will escape high-tech inspection,” Oshoba said, stressing that the new system would boost efficiency, transparency, and security while drastically reducing clearance time.
He credited Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for championing the service’s modernisation drive, adding that officers will soon undergo intensive “train-the-trainer” sessions to ensure seamless operation and maintenance of the machines.
The CAC also called on ICT officers to strengthen capacity at both tier one and tier two maintenance levels, noting that the equipment, the first of its kind in West and Central Africa, would expose concealments, false declarations, and other infractions.

“These scanners will not only save time but also increase revenue, enhance trade, and curb criminal activities at the port,” he said.
To guard against downtime, APM Terminals has pledged to provide a mobile scanner as backup support. The installation, scheduled to last 45 days, is being executed in collaboration with the TMP.
Providing technical details, TMP Team Leader, Aliyu Suleiman, said the NUCTECH FS6000 scanners employ dual-energy X-ray transmission technology and can scan containers and trucks moving at speeds of up to 15 km/h. The system integrates with License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for enhanced monitoring.
With installation already underway, Oshoba assured stakeholders that Apapa Command is prepared to surpass expectations. “This is a revolutionary shift in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem,” he declared, calling on importers, exporters, and clearing agents to embrace honest declarations in line with the new reality.