By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Trade Modernisation Project Limited (TMPL) have commenced the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of newly acquired non-intrusive inspection (NII) scanners and an Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) in China to verify their compliance with technical specifications and international operational standards before shipment to Nigeria.
According to an official statement on the exercise, the high-powered delegation of technical experts from both organisations is led by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Information Communication Technology and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, at the facility of Nuctech Company Limited, the Chinese manufacturer of the equipment.
The two-week exercise, which began on October 9, 2026, is scheduled to end on October 20, with the delegation undertaking comprehensive technical assessments to ensure that the equipment meets contractual requirements and is fit for deployment in Nigeria.
Speaking during the exercise, Adebakin reaffirmed the commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to leveraging technology to facilitate legitimate trade, optimise revenue collection and strengthen national security.
She described the Factory Acceptance Test as a critical quality assurance process that would establish the readiness and operational reliability of the scanners and electronic tracking system before they are shipped to Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of CGC Adeniyi is committed to ensuring that we deploy only cutting-edge, fit-for-purpose technology that will fast-track cargo examination, reduce dwell time, and enhance our ability to detect concealments and prohibited items, improve revenue generation as well as facilitation of legitimate trade,” Adebakin said.
The scanners and electronic cargo tracking system are designed to work together to strengthen cargo examination and enable real-time monitoring of consignments from ports to their final destinations.
The Acting Comptroller of Non-Intrusive Inspection, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Umar Madugu, said the deployment of the systems would reduce reliance on 100 per cent physical examination of cargo, minimise human contact, curb cargo diversion and improve operational efficiency across Customs formations.
Representing TMPL, the company’s General Manager, Bamidele Chinedu, described the validation exercise as a significant milestone in the implementation of the Trade Modernisation Project, noting that the integration of scanning technology and electronic cargo tracking was central to building a transparent and technology-driven Customs administration.
Chinedu said the integrated systems would support more efficient cargo monitoring and examination while strengthening accountability in the movement of goods.
Also speaking, the Project Manager of Nuctech Company Limited, Niu Chao, assured the delegation of the company’s commitment to delivering world-class equipment, alongside technical support, capacity building and after-sales services.
As part of the exercise, technical experts from the NCS and TMPL are also receiving training on the handling, operation and maintenance of the scanners and electronic tracking system to ensure effective deployment and sustainable operations after the equipment arrives in Nigeria.
The initiative forms part of the NCS’s broader modernisation drive to strengthen technology-based cargo inspection, improve trade facilitation, enhance revenue assurance and reinforce national security.
