Customs, World Bank Launch Audit Capacity-Building Programme

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the World Bank Group, has commenced a two-week technical assistance mission aimed at strengthening its Post Clearance Audit (PCA) system to improve revenue assurance, compliance management and trade facilitation.

The programme, being held at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, will run from June 1 to June 12.

Speaking at the opening, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Babatunde Olomu, who represented Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, saidthe initiative aligns with the Service’s modernisation drive and efforts to build a technology-driven and intelligence-led customs administration.

He noted that the training would focus on risk-based targeting, case management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems to enhance compliance and revenue collection.

World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission would expose officers to global best practices, modern audit tools and data-driven compliance management strategies to improve the effectiveness of post-clearance audit operations.

Also speaking, ARMOR Programme Lead Consultant, Colonel Aloke Dutt, stressed the need for standardised audit procedures and greater use of technology, including the Customs’ B’Odogwu platform, to improve accountability andoperational efficiency.

The programme is expected to strengthen the capacity of Customs officers and support ongoing reforms aimed at facilitating trade and boosting government revenue.