By Peace Udugba
The Nigeria Customs Service has officially launched the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS) at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as part of efforts to improve passenger clearance, boost compliance, and modernise customs operations across Nigeria’s international airports.
The platform was unveiled on Monday, May 18, 2026, and is designed to simplify baggage declaration processes for inbound international passengers. According to the Service, the initiative will help reduce manual bottlenecks, improve transparency in revenue assessment, and enhance operational efficiency within airport terminals.
Speaking during the official launch, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the deployment as another major milestone in the agency’s digital transformation drive under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
Adebakin explained that the introduction of SCADS followed operational difficulties experienced with the Service’s previous passenger declaration platform earlier in the year. She noted that instead of allowing the challenges to disrupt operations, the Customs Service used the opportunity to develop a stronger and more efficient system.
“When the earlier platform experienced operational challenges, we chose not to see it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient,” she stated.
According to her, the SCADS platform enables passengers to declare their items before arriving in the country, thereby reducing processing time and improving overall passenger experience at airports.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” she added.
She further explained that the digital platform would eliminate subjective revenue assessment by automatically calculating duties based on declared items, quantity, and actual value.
“When we talk about revenue collection, it is not about collecting more or less. It is about collecting the right revenue. With this system, assessment will now be more objective, accurate and driven by data,” Adebakin said.
The Deputy Comptroller-General also commended officers of the Non-Intrusive Inspection Unit, members of the deployment team, and technical partners for their contributions to the successful rollout of the pilot phase.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller of the FCT Area Command, Victoria Alibo, described the selection of the command for the pilot phase as a recognition of its operational capacity and readiness.
Alibo explained that the new system integrates passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into a unified digital framework that aligns with global customs standards and best practices.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” she said.
She disclosed that the pilot phase of the project would run for five days, from Monday, May 18 to Friday, May 22, 2026, during which officers would evaluate the system in a live operational environment before its planned nationwide deployment.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior customs officers, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, representatives of partner government agencies, technical teams, and other stakeholders within Nigeria’s aviation and border management sector.
