By Tunde Ojudun
Hon. Ibrahim Tanko, National Coordinator of the 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has offered fresh praise for the newly introduced B’Odogwu transaction platform, acknowledging the Nigeria Customs Service’s visionary move despite initial hiccups.
In a personally signed statement, Tanko applauded the courage and strategic foresight of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for spearheading a platform that reflects patriotic innovation. He noted that every groundbreaking system faces challenges in its early stages, and B’Odogwu was no exception.
Tanko admitted to having led the protests against delays during the transition from NICIS to B’Odogwu, citing his frustrations over weeks of inactivity involving sixteen containers. “I couldn’t stomach the hiccups. For days on end, I complained from desk to desk,” because he was unable to transmit Form M for his consignments while the demurrage was stacking up and his importer clients were distraught.
However, he revealed a turning point that behind the scenes, Customs was deeply engaged in resolving the issues, saying that “As soon as I transmitted my Form M, was the PAAR was issued in less than 24 hours! Truly, this is wonderful and should be commended.”
He thanked the Deputy Comptroller General (T&T) for facilitating prompt approvals, which accelerated the rollout and efficiency of the B’Odogwu platform.
Tanko now encourages fellow freight forwarders and importers to exercise patience and embrace the change. “Good things do not come easy,” he concluded. He boldly attested to the fact that the platform is now up and running—and truly working.