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In a bid to fast-track cargo clearance and tighten security at Nigeria’s busiest seaport, Apapa Port, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to deploy three cutting-edge fixed scanners capable of processing 200 containers per hour.
The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Oluwadare Oshoba, who disclosed this while inspecting the installation sites, described the project as “a game-changer” that will revolutionize trade facilitation at Apapa Port.
“With these scanners positioned right by the berths, no consignment will escape high-tech, non-intrusive inspection. We are ready to surpass expectations. Importers, exporters, and agents must brace up for a new era of honest declarations because concealments will be instantly exposed,” he said.
The CAC credited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for championing the Service’s modernization agenda and urged officers to prepare for intensive training ahead of the scanners’ full deployment.
He, however, called on ICT personnel to build capacity for first and second-level maintenance, emphasizing that the project’s success depends on operational readiness.
According to Oshoba, the scanners – two supplied by the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) and one by APM Terminals – will be fully installed within 45 days, with a mobile scanner on standby to eliminate downtime.
“This milestone will save time, raise revenue, strengthen national security, and further cement Apapa’s position as Nigeria’s number one port,” Oshoba asserted.
Aliyu Suleiman, TMP Team Lead, disclosed that the NUCTECH FS6000 scanners use high-penetration, dual-energy X-ray transmission technology, capable of inspecting trucks and containers at speeds of up to 15 km/h without stopping. The system produces high-resolution images for detecting contraband and integrates with advanced tools like License Plate Recognition (LPR) and RFID for seamless tracking.
The deployment, seen as a cornerstone of NCS’s modernisation project, is expected to drastically cut cargo dwell time, curb smuggling, and deliver a more transparent trade environment for businesses operating through Nigeria’s busiest port.
