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Nigeria Customs launches Time Release Study to boost trade

The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) on Thursday launched its Time Release Study (TRS) to promote international trade and boost economic growth.

The Time Release Study, it was gathered, is a strategic and internationally recognised tool to measure the actual time required for the release and/or clearance of goods, from the time of arrival until the physical release of cargo, with a view to finding bottlenecks in the trade flow process and taking necessary measures to improve quick cargo clearance and trade facilitation.

The TRS was launched in Lagos, by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the economy, Wale Edun who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, to measure the time it takes each of the government agencies to release goods from the nation's sea ports and border stations and boost trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government.

The TRS initiative, Edun said, was part of the efforts of President Bola Tinubu to keep to his promise to the global business community that his administration will eliminate all obstacles and create conducive environment for businesses to flourish and for them to invest more in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Edun said, the TRS falls within the domain of the Federal Government Renewed Hope Agenda.

The TRS initiative, the Finance Minister said, is to streamline Customs operations and boost trade facilitation in line with President Bola Tinubu economic plans.

The TRS, the Minister said, would enable the Service to see the effectiveness of its operation, identify the bottlenecks affecting quick cargo clearance and help them in finding necessary and possible solutions for improvement in the clearance of goods and logistic services.

Addressing participants at the Launching of Time Release Study (TRS) Scoping Mission for Nigeria by the Nigeria Customs Service, Edun said the government was concerned about cost effectiveness and how minimise the cash paid as demurrage.

"The Time released study approach recognises its significance on how to enhancing trade facilitation so Nigeria will not be left behind, So, we need to key into this TRS I want to urge our stakeholders," he said.

In his address, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said, the country  decided to 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 launch of the TRS in Lagos today underscores our commitment to improving customs operations and trade facilitation in Nigeria. In addition to TRS, the NCS is deploying the AEO program, Advanced Ruling, and establishing a Customs Laboratory as part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate trade and improve government revenue. These initiatives are supported by the WCO, further emphasising our dedication to enhancing trade efficiency and promoting economic growth and national development through collaboration, innovation, and strategic measures," Adeniyi said.

The WCO, the CGC said, remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing Customs procedures through various instruments and tools, such as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

"Among these initiatives is the Time Release Study (TRS), developed to provide comprehensive insights into customs operations' efficiency.

"Another significant milestone is reached today as we commence the TRS in Nigeria, with Tincan Island Port serving as our pilot location. The TRS method is a systematic and standardized approach used to measure the total duration of time from the arrival of goods at the customs border until their release.

"This initiative represents a critical step in our ongoing efforts to optimize the trading experience and customs operations in Nigeria. It is a strategic endeavour aimed at improving how we facilitate trade, ensuring alignment with international best practices, and contributing substantially to national development.

"Plays a crucial role in assessing and enhancing trade facilitation by providing detailed insights into the efficiency of our processes. Our dynamic and rapidly changing environment requires swift and adaptable responses to the needs as they arise. Adopting a scientific and data driven approach is paramount not only for customs administrations but also for all stakeholders involved in international trade. With the complexities of modern trade, traditional evaluation methods often fall short in accurately identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies across the entire trading environment. The TRS methodology offers a systematic and precise analysis, enabling us to identify,” TRS, Adeniyi said.

Also speaking at the forum, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite thanked organisers of the event for inviting her and for recognising the important role of her ministry in trade facilitation.

While recognising that the service has three major roles to play in the area of security, revenue generation and trade facilitation, she however, implored the leadership of Customs to focus more on trade facilitation to create jobs and boost the economy.

Uzoka-Anite, urged the Customs Service to double its efforts on trade facilitation.

She said focusing on trade facilitation would also lead to revenue generation for the government

The Minister said NCS is the only agency in Nigeria saddled with three critical functions namely security, revenue generation, and trade facilitation.

“However as your trade minister, I implore you to double or redouble your efforts in focusing on just trade facilitation. This is because when you facilitate trade, you’re enhancing our trade volume or you’re making our nation more competitive and then we can generate more revenue without increasing our levies,” she said.

The minister also admonished the agency to fully automate its processes to avoid work hazards that come with border operations.