The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the full operationalisation of the Simplified Declaration for Passenger Baggage Import at the Seme border as part of its digital innovation aimed at ensuring seamless trade facilitation and improving passenger clearance processes.

The Service said the command had also generated N10.34 million in revenue within the first few days of implementation from passenger baggage declarations alone, with the automated process providing a direct and transparent channel for the collection of duties payable to the Federation Account.

The Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Abdullahi Kaila, who disclosed this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Tunde Ayagbalo, noted that since the commencement of the deployment, the command had recorded an average passenger baggage clearance turnaround time of under five minutes, reflecting the impact of digital processing on passenger facilitation.

He stated that the deployment was designed to simplify the declaration and assessment of passenger baggage, reduce clearance time, enhance transparency and facilitate the movement of legitimate travellers and cross-border traders through the Seme border corridor.

Kaila explained that the simplified system enables passengers to initiate baggage declarations through mobile devices or complete the process at designated digital kiosks at the command.

He said standardised and pre-programmed assessment tables are applied to declared personal goods, enabling the system to calculate applicable duties and automatically generate receipts upon payment.

According to him, the deployment is aimed at reducing manual processes and discretionary assessment while providing passengers with a transparent, predictable and efficient process for clearing dutiable goods.

“Through enhanced risk management and intelligence-led controls, the command continues to identify and intercept attempts to conceal commercial quantities of restricted or prohibited goods as passenger baggage,” he stated.

Kaila reiterated that the deployment of the Simplified Declaration for Passenger Baggage forms part of the command’s broader efforts to modernise customs operations, improve the passenger experience and strengthen revenue collection through transparent and technology-driven processes.

He said the command would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and sister agencies operating at the Seme border corridor to ensure the smooth movement of legitimate passengers and goods, while maintaining effective controls against smuggling and other forms of cross-border illicit trade.

The Customs Area Controller encouraged passengers, cross-border traders and other members of the trading community to make use of the simplified declaration system and comply with applicable customs requirements.

He assured the public that legitimate travel and commerce would continue to receive the necessary facilitation within the framework of national security and economic protection.