Nigeria is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen revenue collection and curb long-standing leakages in its trade and customs systems, as part of a broader push to improve fiscal discipline.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched an AI-driven programme aimed at automating processes, improving transparency, and enhancing the accuracy of revenue remittances to the government.
The initiative, unveiled during a capacity-building programme in Abuja, marks a transition from manual and reactive systems to predictive, data-driven operations. Officials say AI tools will be used to analyse trade patterns, detect anomalies, and flag potential revenue losses in real time.
Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said the adoption of AI would enable the agency to better manage increasingly complex trade flows while improving accountability across its operations.
Revenue leakages, often linked to under-declaration of goods, smuggling, and inefficiencies in manual processes, have been a persistent challenge for Nigeria’s customs system. The new AI tools are expected to strengthen oversight by automating data analysis and enabling early detection of irregularities.
AI is already being integrated into cargo scanning and risk management systems, where machine learning can assist in identifying suspicious shipments and improving classification of goods.
Officials say the technology will also enhance reconciliation processes across the revenue chain, which involves multiple stakeholders including banks, auditors, and government agencies.
The move comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to grow non-oil revenue amid fiscal pressures and a rapidly expanding national budget. Lawmakers and fiscal authorities have backed the initiative, describing AI as critical to improving transparency and ensuring all due revenues are captured.
The programme also reflects a shift toward closer collaboration between the customs agency and oversight bodies, including the National Assembly, to strengthen governance and accountability in public finance.
The AI rollout aligns with wider reforms within the customs service to modernise operations and reduce reliance on manual systems.
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