The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has received six cargo scanners, three years after three were procured and installed by the Federal Government.The six additions, which bring the total to nine, are part of 67 scanning machines expected to be deployed at the country’s seaports, airports and land borders under the 20-year Customs Trade Modernisation Project.

The scanners are manufactured in China, are set for commissioning and deployment to support the effective operation of the B’Odogwu trade platform, The Guardian has learnt.

The General Manager of Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited, Ahmed Ogunsola, disclosed to The Guardian that five out of the six scanners have been cleared out of the port by the NCS, while one is being expected.

The other 61 scanners would be delivered within the concession period of 20 years, he said. Ogunsola disclosed that 67 cargo scanners are slated for deployment at the seaports, airports and land borders.

He said the scanners vary in type to suit the unique requirements of different points of entry and that the project is being implemented through a concession agreement with Trade Modernisation Project Limited. He said all six scanners, manufactured in China, would be officially commissioned before the end of the year to complement the B’Odogwu platform.

While Ogunsola declined to reveal the cost of the scanners, he clarified that the entire investment is being financed by Trade Modernisation Project Limited, the concessionaire.

On the features of the scanners, Ogunsola said they emit very low radiation and are newly built with special technology features such as artificial intelligence to aid recognition.

“They are all brand new, and we have a combined five gigabits per second nationwide connectivity for NCS alone. We also have fast scanners that can scan 200 trucks per hour that are coming in as part of this configuration,” he stated. He said the scanners have a combined five gigabits per second nationwide connectivity.

Ogunsola said the NCS has been granted full access to all manuals and technical drawings of the machines, stating that the team is ensuring all changes to the solution architecture are meticulously tracked, while emphasising the importance of proper documentation.

He also revealed that administrative access to the entire system under development has already been transferred to the NCS, which will control and operate the system.

“Our role is to facilitate the availability of the technology assets while jointly delivering on the project,” he said. Highlighting measures taken to guarantee sustainability, he noted that all software licences procured for the project are registered in the name of the NCS.

“There is no risk of holding them to ransom. Once the project concludes, we will simply hand everything over, and those licenses will belong to them permanently,” he explained.

On information security, Ogunsola revealed that the project is aligning with ISO 27001 standards, noting that 27 policies have already been developed and are currently being implemented.

Giving details of the scanners, the National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed that one of the scanners is a gantry scanner, which is already being installed at the Apapa Port.

He also stated that one mobile scanner is to be installed at Tin Can Port, one would be at the Murtala International Airport in Lagos, one would be at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, another one would be in Kano, and another in Port Harcourt.

The guardian