APFFLON Advocates 2-Years Validity for Customs Clearing Licenses

—Congratulates CG Adeniyi on B’Odogwu Success

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has congratulated the Comptroller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi for the successful implementation of the trade facilitation platform, B’Odogwu, even as the service recently recorded a milestone with the issuance of the first Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) under B’Odogwu.

The association has equally called on the customs service to extend the customs clearing license to two years validuty, instead of the existing yearly renewal.

President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite in a statement on Monday, appealed that, extending the Nigeria Customs License to two years renewable period could have several advantages, including decrease in administrative burden on businesses and the customs service as well.

“A longer license period could simplify compliance procedures, allowing businesses to focus on their core activities.
A two-year license period could enable businesses to plan more effectively, making it easier to manage logistics and supply chains.
It would also provide greater predictability for businesses, allowing them to make more informed decisions” Ogunojemite stated

Continuing, the APFFLON President noted that extending the license period could reduce the costs associated with frequent renewals, such as application fees and documentation costs.

“A longer license period could also lower compliance costs, as businesses would need to devote fewer resources to ensuring ongoing compliance.
It could allow for more thorough risk assessments, enabling the Nigeria Customs Service to better identify and mitigate potential security risks.

“Apart from these, it would facilitate more effective monitoring of businesses, enabling the Nigeria Customs Service to detect and respond to potential security threats more effectively” he concluded.