Nigeria Customs, World Bank Launch Two-Week Mission to Strengthen Post-Clearance Audit Capacity

By Ifeyinwa Ike

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the World Bank Group have launched a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme to bolster compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation using modern audit practices.

The workshop held at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026,

Speaking for the Comptroller-General, Assistant Comptroller-Genera, Babatunde Olomu described the mission as a major step in the Service’s modernisation drive to become technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive.

He said contemporary customs administrations increasingly depend on intelligence-led, risk-based and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.

He said the mission will assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices and develop practical solutions to strengthen the PCA framework.

He listed risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems as priority areas.

He added that effective PCA allows Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to strategic compliance management that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency and boosts public confidence.

He commended the Comptroller-General’s commitment to modernisation and thanked the World Bank and development partners for their support, urging participants to translate lessons from the workshop into measurable improvements.

World Bank Task Team Lead Moses Kajubi said the programme will equip PCA officers with modern customs practices, practical audit tools and internationally recognised methodologies adapted to Nigeria’s environment.

He stressed leveraging technology, structured case management and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring and trade facilitation outcomes.

ARMOR-P Lead Consultant Colonel Aloke Dutt said the mission aims to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue and improve compliance management through standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring and integration of data analytics.

He highlighted the role of technology solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and the development of Standard Operating Procedures to support a competency-based audit system.

During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad Jubril demonstrated the PCA workflow on the B’Odogwu platform, showing how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised System codes and risk indicators.

In closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima urged participants to make full use of the workshop and apply their new knowledge to meet the strategic objectives of the Nigeria Customs Service.