Blue Diamond Logistics China has appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to address delays in the issuance and rectification of Debit Notes (DN) process, which sometimes takes up to two to three days to complete additional payments and slow down cargo clearance and release.

The company’s Chairman, Festus Mbisiogu, argued that faster processing would enable importers and logistics operators to make payments without unnecessary delays and facilitate quicker cargo clearance at the ports and terminals.

Mbisiogu, while making the call at the company’s 20th anniversary held in Lagos, recently, said the debit note process should be completed within one hour once an importer has been assessed and directed to make additional payment.

He commended the NCS leadership for recent reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and transparency of customs administration, especially the introduction of B’odogwu, which he said had significantly enhanced the speed of the cargo-clearing process.

Mbisiogu encouraged the NCS to sustain its reform efforts by addressing remaining bottlenecks in the system, noting that the company had focused on overcoming challenges in the logistics sector while expanding its capacity to serve customers moving cargo between China and Nigeria.

The logistics and bonded terminal executive assured that the company would also strengthen its real-time cargo tracking system, allowing customers to monitor their consignments from overseas warehouses through transit and until arrival at the company’s warehouses in Nigeria.

He said the enhanced tracking system was expected to provide customers with greater transparency and visibility over their shipments and enable them to monitor cargo from their homes or offices.

Mbisiogu emphasised the company’s establishment of bonded terminal facilities in Lagos, and Owerri was another component of its strategy to improve cargo management, security and delivery.

According to him, the facilities were strategically positioned to help the company monitor customers’ cargo more effectively while improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Reflecting on the company’s 20-year journey, Mbisiogu said Blue Diamond had consistently invested in workforce development, innovation, and quality of service, adding that the company had earned recognition as one of the top 10 logistics companies in Asia.

Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, commended the company for demonstrating resilience, integrity, and reliability in supporting Nigerian businesses over the years.

Also speaking, former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nicholas Agbo, traced Blue Diamond’s growth to the chairman’s decision to build a business around the difficulties Nigerians faced while trading with China.

Agbo recalled how the entrepreneur helped Nigerian traders navigate language, sourcing and logistics challenges in China.

He said the company had subsequently expanded its business relationships beyond China to include countries such as Dubai, South Africa, India, Vietnam and the United States.