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Nigeria has taken a bold step toward modernising its customs processes with the official go-live of the B’Odogwu software at Apapa and Tin Can Ports – two of West Africa’s busiest trade gateways. This milestone is part of a broader digital transformation led by Nigerian Customs in collaboration with cbxp, aimed at streamlining border operations, increasing transparency and cutting clearance delays.

A new standard for digital customs

The B’Odogwu system is an intelligent customs processing platform developed to digitise and automate routine procedures at Nigeria’s seaports. With its implementation at Apapa and Tin Can, more than 60% of Nigeria’s containerised imports are now managed through a secure, rules-driven environment designed to eliminate bottlenecks and reduce human error.

The rollout includes:

• Automated entry and declaration validation

• Real-time status updates for importers and agents

• Enhanced risk profiling to focus on non-compliant shipments

• Seamless integration with ASYCUDA and other customs systems

The system also supports direct messaging with brokers, automated HS code validation, and pre-clearance documentation uploads – removing much of the back-and-forth that has historically slowed down customs clearance.

Why its transformational

Apapa and Tin Can Island handle a combined volume of over 1.5 million TEUs annually, making them critical arteries for Nigerian trade. But until now, clearance times have been inconsistent—often taking days or even weeks due to outdated processes and fragmented communications.

With B’Odogwu now operational:

• Average clearance times are expected to fall by 30–50%

• Importers benefit from greater predictability and reduced demurrage

• Brokers and agents can manage documents digitally, from anywhere

• Customs authorities gain new visibility into traffic, trends, and risk profiles

Built for brokers, backed by data

B’Odogwu was designed with direct input from Nigeria’s customs brokers and freight agents. During early pilots, the system was credited with reducing entry errors by 70% and cutting down the time required for inspection clearance by half.

Now at scale in Lagos’s busiest ports, the platform draws on real-time trade data to support targeted enforcement and post-clearance audits. Its dashboard-style interface offers simplicity for users and strategic oversight for port authorities.

A blueprint for the future

The successful implementation at Apapa and Tin Can Island is a proof point for broader adoption across Nigeria and potentially across West Africa. With increasing volumes of trade and rising pressure to digitise, the Nigerian Customs Service is setting an example for how modern tools can drive both efficiency and revenue growth.

cb-xp and our partners are already in talks to expand the software to other key ports and border posts, including Onne, Calabar, and Seme. Additional features – such as machine learning for anomaly detection and mobile accessibility – are also in development.

What’s next?

Over the coming weeks, Nigerian Customs will host onboarding workshops for brokers and agents, supported by video tutorials and real-time help desks. cb-xp will also launch a performance dashboard allowing port authorities and oversight bodies to monitor clearance trends in near real-time.

As Nigeria strengthens its position as a trade hub for Africa, the success of B’Odogwu at Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports prove that with the right systems, customs clearance can be faster, smarter, and fairer.

🗞️In the press

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cb-xp uses artificial intelligence to streamline operations, automate compliance, and deliver real-time insights across the entire customs journey. This means smarter borders, faster clearances and more secure trade environments.

For Governments and customs authorities

Customs agencies face growing volumes, tightening security requirements, and ever-increasing expectations for speed and transparency. 

Our platforms are designed to help. From automated anomaly detection to intelligent risk scoring, we enables agencies to flag non-compliant shipments faster and more accurately. With AI, customs teams can prioritise high-risk consignments, reduce processing time and redeploy staff to high-value tasks.

By integrating with national and regional systems, our solutions are tailored to the specific needs of each country – whether this be local regulatory frameworks to wider trade facilitation goals.

For brokers, agents and traders

Brokers and agents are under constant pressure to get declarations right the first time. We reduce that burden by offering automated HS code suggestions, error detection and intelligent document validation.

This results in fewer delays, fewer penalties, and more efficient cross-border transactions. It also empowers agents to take on a more strategic advisory role for their clients – while AI does the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

A major opportunity for the European Union

The EU is already a global leader in digital policy – but when it comes to customs, there’s more to do. With plans to modernise its Customs Union and implement a single digital gateway across Member States, the time is right to embed AI into the EU’s customs infrastructure.

We’re ready to support this journey – with proven ability to build and deploy bespoke digital customs systems, backed by real-world success in high-volume ports and terminals, we can help the EU reduce friction and enhance compliance. We can also AI to support the EU’s green agenda, helping track carbon emissions, ensure traceability, and verify sustainable trade practices.

End-to-end support 

Our model is based on creating strategic partnerships. From system design and deployment to change management and upskilling, our end-to-end approach ensures that stakeholders are supported at every stage of transformation.

If the goal is smarter, more secure, and more connected trade, AI is the catalyst – and cb-xp is the partner to deliver it.

Get in contact with our team to find out more.

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cb-xp’s team works with governments and customs agencies to build smart, integrated platforms that use real-time information to drive smarter, faster decisions. The ability to see, understand, and act on data transforms how customs operates – from border clearance to compliance management.

Transforming operations through data

When data is connected across systems – from declarations to payments, logistics to finance – customs agencies can:

• Analyse cargo volumes and trends across ports and regions
• Perform instant risk assessments based on historical and contextual data
• Identify anomalies that may signal fraud, under-reporting, or non-compliance
• Monitor broker, importer and shipping line activity to ensure accountability

By bringing together data from traditionally siloed sources, customs authorities can reduce leakage, improve clearance times, and build trust across the trade ecosystem.

The value of structured, governed data

Collecting more data isn’t enough. To unlock its true value, data must be structured, governed and applied responsibly. Poor data quality can lead to false flags, missed risks and delays that damage trust and efficiency.

That’s why our solutions go beyond technology. We help clients implement the governance frameworks and tools needed to manage their data effectively, including:

• Master Data Management for accuracy and consistency
• Data Lineage Tracking to trace the origin and evolution of information
• Compliance Monitoring Tools to ensure alignment with legal and international standards

Good data governance transforms customs from reactive gatekeepers into proactive trade facilitators. It enables faster, fairer, and more strategic decision-making across policy, operations, and planning.

From insight to impact

Customs administrations face rising expectations: handle more volume, detect more risk and deliver better service – all while protecting revenue and national interests. Big data is the key to meeting that challenge, creating better customs systems and better outcomes for countries, traders and citizens alike.

Let us help you unlock the full value of your trade data – and turn big data into big impact. Learn how cb-xp can help your country develop and own a future-proof customs system, get in touch.

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Real-time coordination

Before B’Odogwu, Nigeria’s customs operations – like those in many emerging economies – were hampered by legacy systems, limited automation and fragmented data flows. Payments were delayed, documents were duplicated across platforms, and critical stakeholders like banks, logistics firms and customs officers worked in silos. These inefficiencies didn’t just slow down trade — they cost the economy millions in lost revenue and eroded trust in the system.

Enter B’Odogwu: a fully integrated, end-to-end digital customs platform tailored specifically to Nigeria’s needs. At the heart of its success is integration – not just of technology, but of institutions, workflows and data standards.

25 Banks, 1 platform

One of the clearest demonstrations of B’Odogwu’s integration power is its linkage with over 25 Nigerian financial institutions. Under the previous system, duty payments were often processed manually or delayed due to poor data synchronisation. This created bottlenecks in cargo clearance and introduced opportunities for misreporting or underpayment.

With B’Odogwu, real-time integration with banks allows duties to be paid instantly and confirmed within the platform. This single source of truth means no more cross-checking between systems, no more uncertainty for customs officers or importers, and a significant reduction in clearance times. 

Connecting customs, ports and logistics

B’Odogwu also integrates customs workflows with port authorities, freight handlers, and logistics providers. This connected infrastructure enables better coordination of inspection schedules, automated flagging of high-risk consignments and faster release of low-risk cargo. The platform supports real-time document validation, status updates and audit trails that improve accountability across the board.

This level of inter-agency and inter-sector coordination transforms how trade is done. It shifts customs from a gatekeeping role to a facilitative one – ensuring security and compliance while enabling commerce to flow smoothly.

Trust through transparency

Integration isn’t just about speed – it’s about building trust. When systems operate in silos, the opportunities for corruption, manipulation or simple human error increase. By centralising data, logging every transaction and providing stakeholders with consistent, real-time visibility, B’Odogwu helps eliminate these risks.

For example, valuation discrepancies – a common source of fraud – are now addressed through automated analytics and shared records. Customs officers can instantly compare declared values with historical norms or international databases, with any anomalies are flagged for further review. This proactive risk management helps improve revenue collection and strengthens compliance enforcement.

Lessons for other nations

The message from Nigeria’s experience is clear: integrated systems are the future of customs, and they don’t need to come from off-the-shelf, inflexible vendors. B’Odogwu is a locally owned solution, designed with Nigerian users in mind, but built on global best practices. It proves that with the right partner – like cb-xp – countries can achieve full systems integration without sacrificing sovereignty or transparency.

As more nations seek to modernise their border processes in line with trade agreements like the AfCFTA, Nigeria’s example is a blueprint for success. Integration shouldn’t be treated as a technical afterthought, but as the strategic foundation for digital customs transformation.

To learn how cb-xp can help your country develop and own a future-proof customs system, get in touch.

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At the forefront of this transformative initiative is the cb-xp Trade Platform Solution, redefining foreign trade processing. The program seeks to empower stakeholders to engage in international trade with ease, by providing cutting-edge technology solutions that streamline processes, reduce costs, and promote transparency.

In the next 20 years it is set to generate $176billion in boosted trade. cb-xp is helping to propel Nigeria’s Customs Modernisation into a new era of innovation and confidence

Results

The successful implementation of cb-xp’s Trade Solution via the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) stands as a testament to the transformative power of technology in revolutionising customs and trade operations. Nigeria’s Customs Modernisation Project, empowered by cb-xp, not only met its objectives but exceeded expectations, setting the stage for sustained innovation and confidence in international trade processes.

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This pilot was more than a system test – it was a proof of concept for digital transformation led by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), supported by cb-xp’s expertise in delivering scalable, sovereign customs technology.

Fully bespoke, locally controlled

B’Odogwu – officially known as the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) – was developed over 12 months by cb-xp in direct collaboration with TMP/NCS. Unlike vendor-controlled platforms, B’Odogwu is fully hosted in Nigeria, giving the NCS total autonomy over its data, infrastructure and future upgrades.

Our team worked hand-in-hand with NCS officials on the ground in Abuja to build a platform that meets local needs while aligning with international standards. This was not just about installing a system – it encompassed knowledge transfer and detailed staff training, to ensure a confident handover of over operational control. This ‘build-and-release’ approach is central to cb-xp’s ethos: we don’t stay to manage – we empower you to lead.

PTML Pilot results

Launched on October 23, 2024, the B’Odogwu pilot at PTML quickly proved its value:

• Over 16,000 declarations processed within four months
• N150 billion in revenue generated during the pilot period
• A record-breaking N44.9 billion collected in November 2024 alone – the highest monthly figure in the command’s history

These results demonstrated the system’s potential, not just for efficient cargo processing, but for significant revenue optimisation.

Financial integration 

As part of the pilot, B’Odogwu was integrated with 25 financial institutions to streamline import duty payments. With real-time payment visibility and adaptable backend configuration, B’Odogwu is better equipped to handle financial bottlenecks and ensure faster cargo release.

A launchpad for nationwide expansion

Following the pilot’s success, the NCS has now begun preparing for full-scale deployment across Nigeria’s busiest ports, including Apapa and Tin Can Island. Pre-launch training sessions and stakeholder engagement events have already begun, paving the way for broader implementation.

At PTML, this pilot was not just a systems test, it was the validation of Nigeria’s capability to run a sovereign customs platform at scale.

To learn how cb-xp can help your country develop and own a future-proof customs system, get in touch.

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