WCO chief praises Nigeria’s cargo clearance study as major step toward faster, safer trade

By Zainab Uzomah

The head of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Ian Saunders, has hailed Nigeria’s new Time Release Study (TRS) as a significant reform that could speed up cargo clearance, strengthen border security and improve the country’s trade competitiveness across Africa.

Speaking on Monday at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, Mr Saunders said the study gives Nigeria “specific and objective insights” into how goods move through its ports, providing a factual basis for cutting delays and improving efficiency. Conducted with support from the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, the TRS measures how long it takes for cargo to be released and identifies the choke points slowing down clearance.

Mr Saunders said the findings present “a clear opportunity” for Nigeria to deliver measurable improvements that will benefit the economy and enhance national safety. He noted that the TRS is one of the organisation’s core global tools for assessing Customs performance, adding that its success depends on coordinated action involving government agencies, the private sector and the wider trading community.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, who delivered a keynote address, said the study supports the government’s drive for data-led reforms aimed at reducing transaction costs and modernising border processes. She described the TRS as a tool for smarter regulation, improved transparency and better coordination across border agencies, noting that global trade competitiveness is increasingly defined by “speed, certainty and compliance”.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, welcomed the initiative as evidence of the government’s commitment to tackling bottlenecks and improving the trade environment.

Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi said the Service is integrating the TRS into its broader reform agenda. He said the data generated will help identify procedural overlaps, eliminate delays and streamline cargo processing. “The Time Release Study allows us to move from assumptions to facts,” he said.

Representatives of the UK High Commission also commended Nigeria’s adoption of WCO facilitation tools, supported in part by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Presenting highlights of the report, Deputy Comptroller General Dera Nnadi said the study would guide operational adjustments, policy updates and infrastructure investments aimed at making Nigeria’s ports more predictable and efficient.