ANLCA @72: NRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, Customs CG, Adeniyi Charge Clearing Agent To Embrace AI, Prioritise Compliance
The National President of ANLCA, Emenike Nwokeoji (left) presenting an award to the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Port Command, Compt Joe Anani
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji, and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, have charged licensed customs agents to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) in cargo clearance and to prioritise compliance, as the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) marked its 72nd anniversary in Lagos.
Adedeji, represented by the Director of the National Single Window (NSW) Project, Tola Fakolade, and Adeniyi, represented by the Customs Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Command, Compt. Joe Anani, spoke at the anniversary event at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.
Adedeji said that even at 72, the association’s work was not finished and that three things remained ahead of its members.
The first, he said, is to continue to embrace change, noting that every generation of customs brokers has faced a new system and adapted, and that an association that has survived 72 years knows how to do it.
The second is to continue to adopt technology. He said AI, which he described as now knocking at the door, makes this more important than ever, adding that it is already helping with document checking, classification support and risk analysis around the world.
The third, and in his view the most important, is to champion compliance. He said compliance matters for three reasons. It protects revenue, because accurate valuation, correct classification and honest declarations are how government collects what is due without disputes and without leakage.
It protects the profession, because a single broker who cuts corners can damage trust in all of them, and clients, regulators and the public tend to judge a profession by its weakest members. It also protects clients, because a wrong declaration today can become a penalty, a delay or a legal problem tomorrow.
On how the association can promote compliance among its members, he proposed that it set and communicate clear professional standards and make sure every member knows them.
He also urged it to encourage peer accountability, saying a profession that quietly holds its own members to a high standard is respected far more than one that waits to be corrected from outside.
“Compliance should not be seen as a burden. It is your competitive advantage. In a world where trust is everything, the compliant broker is the one clients will choose,” he said.
The Customs Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, in his message delivered by Comptroller Anani, said the successes of customs regulation and trade facilitation cannot be achieved by the Nigeria Customs Service alone. He said they require a strong partnership with all major stakeholders, and that customs brokers are particularly important partners.
While commending ANLCA at 72, he said the future of customs operations will be determined by the quality of professionalism practitioners demonstrate, noting that the customs environment is changing rapidly, international trade is becoming increasingly digital, supply chains are growing more complex and regulatory expectations are rising.
Modern customs agents, he said, must therefore be knowledgeable, transparent and committed to complete and accurate information, proper documentation, timely submission of information and respect for customs procedures and regulations.
He also called for a collective rejection of practices that undermine legitimate trade or expose businesses and the country to unnecessary risk.
He said this is why the Service continues to embrace modern automation, risk management, data-driven processes and stronger interagency collaboration.
He urged ANLCA to promote voluntary compliance and to improve the quality of information available for customs risk assessment, adding that the future of trade is undoubtedly digital and that technology will continue to transform how customs decisions are made and how cargo is assessed.
Because of this, he said, continuous professional development must become an integral part of customs brokerage.
He urged ANLCA to keep investing in training and capacity building for all its members, and to continue serving as a bridge between government and businesses while encouraging members to comply with established laws and procedures.
“Let me reaffirm that the Nigeria Customs Service values the relationship between the service and the Customs agents,” he said.
He acknowledged that at the operational level, customs officers and freight forwarders interact daily at the ports, terminals and bonded facilities, and said those interactions must always be guided by mutual respect, professionalism and accountability.
The anniversary was held under the theme “ANLCA Celebrating A Legacy Of Professionalism Advancing Trade Facilitation and Shaping The Future Of Customs Brokerage.”
It was attended by government officials, regulators, terminal operators, former ANLCA presidents, royal fathers and other industry stakeholders.
