The Tin-Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said the time release study (TRS) carried out in the port will be unveiled to the international trade community in September.
This was disclosed recently to journalists at the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) secretariat in Apapa by Dera Nnadi, Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Tin-Can Island Port.
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) assisted TRS was launched in Tin-Can Island Port (TICP) in February 2024 to determine the time it takes to clear cargo at the port.
As a supervisor of the ongoing Time Release Study at Tin-Can Port, Nnadi said his officers encountered several challenges during the study. However, he was excited that the report would be released in September.
“We had challenges in carrying out the study. One of the biggest challenges was apathy on the side of port users. The port is a very dynamic environment and people are always in a hurry to clear their goods making it extremely difficult to have them respond to questionnaires.
“We had to be very creative to get responses from importers. We had to organise meetings both physical and online to get the importers and clearing agents involved in the study,” he said.
He said the Command was given a target of 600 respondents but they had to increase the number to 1,000 due to Nigeria’s size.
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He said the idea was to ensure Customs could cover an extensive sample large enough to fairly represent the population of Nigeria’s international trade community.
Nnadi further explained that Tin-Can Port was chosen for the TRS due to the delay in cargo release at the port.
He said there has been a significant improvement after the clearing of the port access roads and reactivation of night operation at the Tin-Can Port.
Nnadi said the TRS outcome is expected to show the way to faster release of goods from the port and improve cargo turnaround time significantly and that all agencies at the port and captains of industry make up the country’s National Trade Facilitation Committee.
The WCO Time Release Study is a strategic and internationally recognised tool to measure the actual time required for the release or clearance of goods, from the time of arrival until the physical release of cargo.
The idea is to find bottlenecks in the trade flow process and take necessary measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border procedures.
The updated version of the WCO TRS Guide, known as the ‘Guide to Measure the Time Required for the Release of Goods (Version 3)’ incorporates several key features/elements.
It brings forward new dynamics and opportunities for Customs Administrations to work collaboratively with other relevant government agencies and trade stakeholders in the arena of performance measurement.
The WCO TRS is specifically referenced in Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) as a tool for members to measure and publish the average release time of goods.
The TRS is being increasingly used by members for strategic planning and the proper sequencing of Trade Facilitation Agreement measures by the National Committees on Trade Facilitation (NCTF).
BusinessDay findings show that this was not the first time a TRS was launched at Nigerian trade borders.
In 2010, the Nigeria Customs Service underwent an extensive Time Release Study facilitated by the USAID Market Project, concentrating on the Apapa Port and Seme Border.
Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general of Customs said approximately 20 overreaching recommendations emerged, encompassing initiatives such as establishing an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, introducing a single window system, procuring extra cargo handling equipment, and undertaking infrastructure repairs at the ports, among others.
Adeniyi explained that a second effort was made in 2018, albeit unsuccessful, primarily due to inadequate collaboration among the pertinent agencies involved.
“Today’s exercise builds on the lessons learned from both the 2010 and 2018 attempts. We have made significant progress since then, including the implementation of paperless clearance and advancements in our AEO programmes.
“Provisions under the new Customs Act now speak to the imposition of penalties to deter non-compliance. Today, we are joining other Customs Administrations in the world that have embraced the tools developed by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to promote the growth of international trade,” the Customs boss said at the launch of the current TRS at Tin-Can Port in February.
