The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Joseph Attah, announced in an official statement that the NCS will reduce the time it takes to import and export goods (trade facilitation) by 50 per cent.
”The service is required to schedule and coordinate the Mandatory Joint Examinations and sign-off form to ensure only one point of contact between importers and officials”, said Attah.
He explained that to make businesses work, the Customs has joined other MDAs in delivering reforms that would progressively make it easier for businesses in Nigeria to thrive.
Attah said: “Our commitments at the NCS are focused on ‘Trade Across Borders’ where a target was set to reduce import and export time by up to 50 percent and ensure that import procedures adhere to international standards. One of the most crucial functions of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is the promotion and facilitation of trade and competitiveness”, as quoted by the Nation Newspaper.
In its bid to improve the facilitation, NCS said that the minimum cargo placement notice time for examination required by Terminal Operators has been reduced from 24 hours to a maximum of twelve hours.
”This means that after the NCS agrees with all parties on a suitable time for physical examination, Terminal Operators only require a twelve hour notice to place the cargo for examination”, he explained.
According to Attah, Nigeria requires up to fourteen documents for imports, compared to just five in Rwanda, while export processes average between two and three weeks in Nigeria, compared to only four days in Kenya.
”Factors like these are responsible for the country’s lowly rank of 14th out of 15 ECOWAS economies and 182nd out of 190 economies worldwide in the ‘Trade Across Borders’ indicator on the most recent World Bank “Doing Business” Rankings”, he said.
