D/COMPT ONELE SWINGS INTO ACTION, ENGAGES DHL, FedEx, UPS OVER CLEARANCE BOTTLENECKS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Area Command, has engaged major courier companies, including DHL, FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS), over operational challenges and delays affecting the clearance of imported parcels.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the command, Deputy Comptroller Jacob Onele, said the command would work with courier operators to address clearance bottlenecks, improve compliance and facilitate legitimate trade.
Onele gave the assurance during a familiarisation tour of courier facilities and private hangars under the command’s supervision on October 7, 2026.
The tour commenced at Aramex, where the Country Manager, Faisal Jarmakani, received the acting controller and his entourage and conducted them around the facility.
The team subsequently visited UPS, FedEx, DHL and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), where Onele interacted with company representatives and Customs officers deployed to the facilities.
During the engagements, the stakeholders highlighted operational challenges affecting their activities, particularly those associated with the recently introduced Unified Customs Clearance System, B’Odogwu
Addressing the concerns, Onele assured the courier operators and Customs personnel that he would do everything within his capacity to resolve the issues raised.
He added that challenges beyond his authority would be escalated to the Customs Service headquarters for appropriate intervention.
The acting controller also urged courier companies to address delays in presenting imported parcels to Customs for assessment, stressing that timely presentation was critical to speeding up clearance processes and facilitating legitimate trade.
He called on the operators to take proactive steps to eliminate unnecessary delays, improve coordination with Customs officers and ensure compliance with extant laws and regulations.
Management representatives of the courier companies welcomed the visit and pledged to strengthen their working relationships with the new Customs principal and his team.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to complying with relevant regulations and supporting the command’s efforts to improve compliance, facilitate trade and enhance revenue generation.
Onele expressed satisfaction with the reception and cooperation extended to him, commending the stakeholders for their willingness to work with the command towards improving operational efficiency, according to Business Insider NG.
He, however, urged some couriers operators to improve the working conditions of Customs officers deployed to their facilities by providing conducive and habitable office spaces to support effective service delivery.
The familiarisation tour also covered private aviation facilities, including ExecuJet at Legend, Nest Aviation and Afrijet.
The visits, according to the command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Usman Abdul, formed part of the acting controller’s efforts to strengthen stakeholder engagement, improve operational oversight, enhance revenue generation and facilitate legitimate trade.