Customs Launches Digital Vehicle Verification System to Fight Smuggling

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has unveiled a new digital platform to verify imported vehicles, aiming to curb smuggling, promote transparency, and ensure proper documentation.

The initiative, called the Customs Verification Management System (CVMS), was launched on Monday at the NCS headquarters in Abuja by Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. The system uses a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) verification process, allowing importers, car dealers, and the public to confirm a vehicle’s authenticity, origin, clearance record, and duty payment status in real time.

Adeniyi said the platform, which carries a ₦15,000 processing fee, represents a major step toward eliminating smuggled or illegally modified vehicles that are often presented as legitimately imported. “For years, vehicle verification relied on fragmented and outdated methods that left room for misinformation, fraud, and revenue leakages,” he said.

Developed in collaboration with the Trade Modernization Project (TMP) and local tech experts, the CVMS is designed to simplify the verification process and close loopholes exploited to evade import duties or falsify documents. Adeniyi described the platform as a tool to enhance accountability and trust, noting that payment can be made using any card issued by financial institutions in Nigeria or abroad.

“The launch of this system is another milestone in our digital transformation agenda. Anyone who invests millions in a vehicle would not hesitate to pay ₦15,000 to confirm that their money is well spent,” Adeniyi added.

The CVMS is expected to improve operational efficiency across NCS enforcement units and strengthen coordination with other agencies. It will also empower Nigerians to make informed decisions when purchasing vehicles, reducing the circulation of improperly cleared automobiles.

Reacting to the development, the National President of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON), Ajibola Adedoyin, said the association would assess the platform before full adoption but expressed optimism that members would support it once its benefits are confirmed. “I can assure you that the first adopters, 90 per cent of them, would be my members,” he said.

The system takes immediate effect and forms part of the Service’s broader effort to digitize operations, enhance transparency, and boost revenue collection.