The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has refuted claims that importers or their agents are required to make payments for the migration of Form M from the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II) to the newly introduced B’Odogwu Trade Management System.
In a statement issued on Friday, July 11, 2025, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, described the rumours as “false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.”
According to the statement, the migration exercise is a technical and administrative measure initiated by the Service to facilitate a seamless transition in trade documentation as part of the phased deployment of the B’Odogwu platform across Customs Area Commands.
“The NCS has not introduced, approved, or authorised any fee for migrating Form M from NICIS II to B’Odogwu,” the statement clarified.
Importers and clearing agents whose Bills of Lading (BoL) or manifests have already been transmitted to the B’Odogwu platform, but whose Form M was initially processed through NICIS II, are advised to submit soft copies of their existing Form M to the Technical Supervisor (TS) at their Customs Command. The migration process, the NCS emphasized, is conducted internally by its officials at no cost to the trader.
Following a successful migration, traders are to:
Log into their dashboard on the B’Odogwu system
Locate the migrated “registered” Form M
Click on it to view full details
Use the “Create PAAR” button to initiate PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report) processing
The Service also issued a strong warning against any individual or group soliciting payments for the migration process. “Such practices are not only illegal but also undermine the Service’s commitment to transparency and trade facilitation,” the statement read.
Importers, agents, and other stakeholders have been urged to report any such misconduct through official Nigeria Customs Service channels, including command offices and digital platforms.
Under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the NCS reaffirmed its dedication to providing a user-friendly, transparent, and efficient trade environment that is powered by technology and guided by integrity.
“We appreciate the cooperation of the trading public and assure all stakeholders of our continuous support throughout this transition,” the statement concluded.
