The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is edging closer to ending physical cargo examination at Apapa Port as preparations intensify for the full deployment of the FS6000 cargo scanner at APM Terminals, Lagos.

The move is move expected to significantly reshape cargo clearance at the country’s busiest maritime gateway.

The scanner, with a throughput capacity of about 200 containers per hour, has completed final test runs and simulation exercises, signalling readiness for operational rollout and a transition to non-intrusive, technology-driven inspections.

The development followed a working visit to the scanning site by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Oluyomi Adebakin, to assess pre-operational readiness and alignment with Customs’ trade modernisation agenda.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, in a statement, said the initiative was part of a broader strategy to migrate to a paperless clearance environment in line with international best practices and improved trade facilitation.

According to him, the FS6000 scanner has successfully undergone all required simulations, marking a major milestone in Customs’ push to reduce manual intervention in cargo processing at Apapa Port.

Speaking during the inspection, Adebakin said the visit was aimed at ensuring a smooth transition to scanner-based examination.

She described the deployment as “a critical step in modernising customs operations and improving efficiency at the nation’s busiest port.”

She disclosed that operational preparedness had reached about 80 per cent, noting that outstanding components required for full take-off were being addressed. Adebakin stressed that scanner deployment was a collective responsibility involving the Nigeria Customs Service, APM Terminals, and the Trade Modernisation Project.

Assuring port users of tangible business benefits, she said the scanner would deliver faster cargo clearance, reduced demurrage, improved compliance and enhanced ease of doing business across the port ecosystem.

“The FS6000 scanner has a throughput capacity of about 200 containers per hour,” Adebakin said, highlighting its suitability for high-volume port operations. She added that non-intrusive inspection would eliminate delays and cargo damage associated with physical examinations while also strengthening revenue protection.

On his part, the Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ICT-driven reforms and sustained stakeholder collaboration. He said the deployment underscored Customs’ resolve to modernise port operations, strengthen trade facilitation and improve transparency at Apapa Port.

For maritime operators, the imminent deployment signals a structural shift in cargo handling—one expected to decongest terminals, cut transaction costs and reposition Apapa Port for more competitive regional trade flows.