The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a new digital platform to speed up passenger clearance and reduce bottlenecks at airports.
The Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS) went live on Monday, 18 May 2026, at the International Wing of Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The system allows inbound international passengers to declare baggage electronically before arrival, cutting manual processing and improving transparency in duty assessment.
Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said SCADS is part of the Service’s digital transformation drive under Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi. She explained that the platform was built after challenges with the previous system earlier this year.
“When the earlier platform had issues, we used it as a chance to build something better and more efficient,” Adebakin said.
She added that advance declarations will shorten clearance time and improve compliance, while automated duty calculations based on declared items and values will make revenue assessment more accurate and data-driven.
Customs Area Controller for the FCT Command, Comptroller Victoria Alibo, said hosting the pilot reflects confidence in the Command’s capacity. She noted that SCADS combines passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into one digital system aligned with global standards.
The pilot will run for five days, from 18 to 22 May 2026, before a planned nationwide rollout. Senior Customs officers, FAAN officials, partner agencies, and technical teams attended the launch.
