Form M Transition to B’Odogwu: Nigeria Customs Clears Air on Payment Allegation

ZAINAB JUNAID

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reacted to rumours that importers or their agents need to make payments for migrating Form M from the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) II platform to the B’Odogwu Trade Management System.

In a statement signed on Friday, 11 July 2025, by the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada for the Comptroller General of Customs, the Agency declared that these claims are false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.

It explained that the migration process is a technical and administrative task designed and implemented by NCS to ensure seamless continuity of trade documentation following the phased deployment of the B’Odogwu system across Customs Area Commands.

The statement clarified that at no point has the Service introduced, approved, or authorised any fee for migrating Form M from NICIS II to B’Odogwu.

“Importers and agents whose Bills of Lading (BoL) or manifests have already been transmitted to B’Odogwu but whose Form M was originally registered on NICIS II are required to submit a soft copy of their existing Form M to the Technical Supervisor (TS) in their Command of operation.

“This submission will enable the Service to carry out the necessary migration at no cost to the trader.

“Upon successful migration, traders are expected to log into their dashboard on B’Odogwu and: – Locate the already migrated “registered” Form M; Click on it to view the full details; Use the “Create PAAR” button that will appear to proceed with PAAR processing.

“The Service urges all stakeholders to disregard any person or group demanding payment under the guise of facilitating Form M migration. Such practices are not only illegal but also undermine the Service’s commitment to transparency and trade facilitation. Affected persons are advised to report such misconduct through official NCS channels.

“Under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and his management team, the Service remains committed to delivering a user-friendly, transparent, and efficient trade environment powered by technology and integrity. We appreciate the cooperation of the trading public and assure all stakeholders of our continuous support throughout this transition,” the statement partly reads.