World Bank Expands Customs Audit Capacity

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

ABUJA — The World Bank has launched a two‑week training workshop to strengthen the Post‑Clearance Audit (PCA) capacity of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The Technical Assistance Mission, part of the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, aims to improve the NCS’s compliance management, revenue assurance and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.

The workshop began on June 1 and will run until June 12, 2026, at the Customs headquarters in Abuja.

Assistant Comptroller‑General Babatunde Olomu, speaking for Comptroller‑General Adewale Adeniyi, described the mission as a key step toward modernising the Service and building a technology‑driven, intelligence‑led, globally competitive customs administration.

Olomu noted that contemporary customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence‑led, risk‑based and post‑clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.

He said the programme offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Service’s PCA framework.

Key focus areas of the training include risk‑based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation and integrated audit systems.

“Effective Post‑Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction‑based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency and boosts public confidence,” Olomu said.

He praised the Comptroller‑General for his commitment to modernisation and capacity building, and thanked the World Bank and other development partners for their continued support of Customs reforms.

Olomu urged participants to engage actively in the programme and ensure that lessons learned translate into measurable improvements in daily operations.

World Bank Task Team Lead Moses Kajubi stated that the mission was designed to strengthen the capacity of PCA officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools and internationally recognised methodologies.

Kajubi explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques and compliance management strategies adaptable to Nigeria’s operational environment.

He emphasised the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems and data‑driven decision‑making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring and trade facilitation outcomes.

“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post‑Clearance Audit operations,” he said.

Kajubi expressed confidence that the programme would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernisation objectives.

Lead Consultant for the ARMOR Programme, Colonel Aloke Dutt, also spoke, saying the mission would enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue generation and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post‑Clearance Audit.

He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms and greater integration of data in customs operations.

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