Apapa Command pilots real-time digital monitoring platform to enhance security, transparency, and trade facilitation nationwide.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has launched a new Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS), a digital innovation designed to strengthen national security, boost revenue generation, and streamline cargo movement across the country’s ports.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Tunde Ayagbalo, who said the pilot phase was successfully conducted on November 5, 2025, using a container designated for the Kano/Jigawa Area Command.
According to Ayagbalo, the deployment marks the first real-time application of the technology in monitoring cargo movements in Nigeria.
Speaking during the unveiling, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the ECTS as a transformational initiative that enables end-to-end visibility of containerized cargo from the point of loading to its final destination.
“The system uses electronic seals and handheld devices to track containers, ensuring transparency, preventing tampering, and eliminating diversion of goods in transit,” Oshoba said.
He added that the Apapa Command is serving as the pilot phase for the nationwide rollout of the system, which will drastically reduce the need for physical escorts since officers can now monitor cargo electronically.
Oshoba commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for his visionary leadership, describing him as a reform-driven administrator who has championed automation and innovation within the Service.
He further noted that the ECTS has already been successfully deployed in several countries, and as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Adeniyi has ensured that Nigeria adopts similar digital tools to enhance trade competitiveness.
The Head of B’Odogwu Implementation at Apapa Command, Aondona Fanyam, explained that once a container is sealed at the departure point, it remains locked until proper authorization is granted at the destination.
“The ECTS provides three secure methods for unlocking a container remotely through the central control system, locally via an authorized handheld device, or by using a physical unlocking card at the destination,” he said.
Fanyam added that these multi-layered safeguards prevent unauthorized access and diversion, ensuring cargo integrity and protecting government revenue.
“The combination of remote control, handheld verification, and physical unlocking ensures only authorized personnel can release cargo,” he noted.
Also speaking, the Team Leader of the Training Unit, Superintendent of Customs Rosemary Ebele Wenceslas, revealed that 12 officers have been trained for the pilot phase.
She said the team includes personnel from the Rapid Response Unit of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, and the Enforcement Team of the Apapa Area Command.
“The officers have undergone intensive training and are fully prepared to manage and operate the new tracking technology efficiently,” Wenceslas stated. “All Standard Operating Procedures for the ECTS have been clearly communicated to ensure smooth implementation.”
The Apapa Area Command, located at Nigeria’s busiest seaport in Lagos, plays a critical role in the country’s trade and revenue system. The command handles a significant volume of import and export operations and has been described as the gateway to Nigeria’s economy due to its strategic importance in maritime trade.
In recent years, the command has recorded outstanding revenue performance while implementing several trade facilitation and anti-smuggling reforms.
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