Nigeria’s Time Release Study Key To Faster, Safer Trade In Africa – WCO

The Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Ian Saunders, has described Nigeria’s Time Release Study (TRS) as a practical and evidence-based reform capable of strengthening border efficiency, boosting trade competitiveness within trade corridors in Africa and enhancing national safety.

Saunders stated this during the presentation of the TRS Report conducted at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos noting that the study offers Nigeria “specific and objective insights” into how its border clearance processes, function and where targeted improvements can be made.

According to him, the TRS, implemented with the support of the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, goes beyond policy formulation by translating reform goals into measurable operational outcomes.

He stressed that the Time Release Study is one of the WCO’s core performance measurement tools, widely deployed by Customs administrations globally to improve transparency, predictability and efficiency without compromising security.

While delivering a keynote address, the Guest speaker,Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the Time Release Study aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to data-driven reforms to improve trade efficiency and reduce transaction costs across Nigeria’s ports and borders.

Uzoka-Anite described the TRS as a strategic policy instrument that enables governments to objectively measure performance, identify bottlenecks and strengthen transparency within the trade ecosystems

The Minister assured stakeholders of the Federal Government’s continued support for reforms that modernise border management, strengthen institutional capacity and promote collaboration among agencies involved in trade regulation.

In her remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, applauded the Service for taking the lead in addressing systemic bottlenecks and strengthening trade facilitation processes, noting that the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to improving efficiency across Nigeria’s trade ecosystem

In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the Service is institutionalising the Time Release Study as part of its broader reform agenda to improve cargo clearance efficiency and service delivery.

Adeniyi explained that the study provides credible data on cargo dwell time, enabling Customs and partner agencies to identify procedural overlaps, eliminate delays and streamline clearance processes.

Ene Idoko, Edited By Grace Namiji