Customs Launches Digital System to Verify Vehicle Duty Payments

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday unveiled the Customs Verification Management System (CVMS) — a new digital platform that allows Nigerians to verify the clearance and duty payment status of imported vehicles within minutes, marking a major milestone in the agency’s drive toward full digital transformation.

Unveiling the platform at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, said the initiative represents a bold step in modernising operations and promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency across the service.

“Today marks an important milestone as we head into our ongoing drive to modernise the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service. We are building on collaboration with the private sector and the delivery of innovative solutions to improve operational efficiency,” Adeniyi stated.

“This platform redefines how vehicle verification is conducted across our customs ecosystem. For years, the process relied on fragmented systems that created room for misinformation, fraud, and revenue leakages. The CVMS introduces a simple, seamless, and secure way to verify vehicle duty payment status,” he added.

The CVMS was developed in partnership with the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) and indigenous tech firm, Afripoint Consult, as part of the NCS’s broader trade automation reform.

Afripoint Consult’s Managing Director, Ajibola Adetula, described the platform as a “homegrown, bifocal innovation” that serves both the public and enforcement officers.

“The system allows the public to quickly confirm if a vehicle was duly cleared by Customs, while officers can cross-check the authenticity of clearance documents even outside working hours. It’s a game-changer for transparency,” Adetula said.

The platform, which has been in trial mode for two months, is now fully operational and accessible globally. Users can verify vehicles by entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and paying a ₦15,000 verification fee using local or international debit/credit cards.

According to Adeniyi, the system empowers citizens, importers, and car dealers with reliable and verifiable data, while helping customs officers eliminate manual bottlenecks, standardise clearance procedures, and strengthen enforcement capacity.

“This new system empowers the public and strengthens the integrity of our service by promoting transparency, accountability, and trust,” the CGC said.
“For the first time, Nigerians can verify the clearance and duty status of any imported vehicle directly from Customs—without intermediaries, without delays, and without doubt.”

Adeniyi noted that the CVMS provides real-time validated data, analytical tools, and reporting features to help officers detect anomalies and improve decision-making, while enhancing collaboration across enforcement units.

“For our officers, it enhances efficiency and accountability by digitising the verification process and providing analytics that make customs work smarter, faster, and more transparent,” he said.

The new system aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and supports Customs’ Trade Modernisation Project, a 20-year concession designed to enhance trade facilitation, boost revenue generation, and reduce corruption.

The CVMS is one of several digital initiatives rolled out by Customs to tackle fake clearance documents, smuggled vehicles, and revenue leakages — long-standing challenges that have strained enforcement operations and affected public trust.

By integrating all vehicle records into a centralised digital database, the Customs Service aims to strengthen border management, improve compliance, and help the government achieve a fully automated trade facilitation system by 2030.