The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has intensified its digital strategy, to fight illicit trade across Nigeria’s borders, ports and trade routes.
The NCS stated this on Wednesday, 8th of April, 2026, Cape Town, South Africa, during the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Security 2026 Conference, where customs officials and security stakeholders met.
The NCS said illicit trade has moved from physical borders into digital and online spaces, noting that the move is part of wider efforts to stop smuggling, fake goods and illegal trade networks.
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The agency said the strategy focuses on technology, data systems and stronger cooperation with partners.
While acknowledging that criminals now use digital tools, officials said to combat such, customs must also use digital tools to respond.
The NCS Deputy-Comptroller, Sanusi Saulawa said the agency is now using intelligence-led systems, adding that traditional border checks alone are no longer enough to stop modern smuggling networks.
“Illicit trade has evolved into a digital-era challenge,” Saulawa said, noting that online platforms now help criminals move goods faster.
He added that digital commerce and complex supply chains are creating new gaps that criminals exploit, allowing them to easily smuggle counterfeit goods and banned items into the country’s markets.
The NCS said it is now expanding scanning machines, cargo tracking systems and risk profiling tools at entry points, to help officers detect suspicious goods before they reach local markets.
Officials explained that the new system will reduce manual checks and speed up clearance of legal goods, as well as improve accuracy in identifying high-risk shipments.
The agency also stressed stronger cooperation with private companies and global partners, adding that data sharing is now key to tracking illegal trade across borders.
“No single agency can address illicit trade alone,” Saulawa said, calling for stronger collaboration among stakeholders.
The agency also said manufacturers, shipping firms and logistics companies must help by sharing supply chain data, explaining that the move will help detect irregular routes and suspicious cargo patterns early.
The NCS further noted that it is working with other government agencies such as drug control and consumer protection bodies, to improve intelligence sharing and enforcement.
Reports stated that experts at the security meetings also supported the shift, noting that illegal trade is now deeply linked to e-commerce platforms and digital logistics systems.
It was also reported that the NCS was informed that counterfeit goods and drugs are often hidden inside legal shipments, making detection harder without advanced technology and data systems.
The agency, however, said it is moving from reactive enforcement to preventive action, which will stop illegal goods before they enter the country.
The NCS leadership said this approach matches global standards used by modern customs agencies, indicating that many countries now rely on data systems rather than only physical inspections.
Report has it that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has also consistently pushed for modernisation, while also calling for stronger intelligence systems and better regional cooperation to fight smuggling.
It was also gathered that across West Africa, customs agencies are also deepening cooperation to fight cross-border crime, as Nigeria Customs recently strengthened partnerships with Ghana Customs on intelligence sharing.
Officials reportedly said the regional cooperation is important because smugglers operate across multiple countries, expressing believe that joint action will reduce illegal trade significantly.
According to sources, the Nigerian Customs noted that digital tools, stronger partnerships and data-driven enforcement will shape the future fight against illicit trade.
