DIGITIZATION: Nigeria Customs Service Fast Tracks Automation of its Operations; Attends Huawei Connect, 2023 in Shanghai, China

Communication is a critical component of the ICT mix. In recent years, Information and Communication Technology has evolved to improve connectivity among peers and industries.

ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology, a blanket term encompassing all the technologies and services involved in computing, data management, telecommunications provision, and the Internet. These technologies all deal with transmitting and receiving information of some kind.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) for automation of customs services and data-sharing helps reinforce the member countries’ customs legal reforms and simplification of customs procedures and improve transparency and efficiency of customs services.

To this end, the Nigeria Customs Service was well represented at Huawei’s Annual Global event tagged HUAWEI CONNECT held from 20 – 23 September 2023 in Shanghai, China by the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernization, ACG KI Adeola, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, ACG CK Niagwan, Comptroller H Ishiaku from Trade Facilation Unit, Comptroller Gaji from PAAR Unit, CSC Baba Ibrahim and CSC Fanyam from the ICT Unit, SC OC Onuoha from Headquarters. Other representatives are Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajilola, the Managing Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, and her team members.

The event, with the theme “Accelerating Intelligence for Shared Success”, brought together attendees, including government officials, business leaders, tech experts, partners, developers, and industry stakeholders worldwide.

The event featured the latest trends and technologies in the ICT industry, especially artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, cloud computing, and other intelligent solutions designed to address the unique requirements of various sectors, such as finance, government, manufacturing, electric power, and railways, etc.

Highlights of the event include keynote addresses from top Huawei executives as well as panel discussions, summits, and technical sessions with industry experts. The speakers took turns outlining the company’s vision for the future of the ICT industry and emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation.

In addition, the event featured exhibitions that showcased the latest products and solutions from Huawei and its partners. These served as a platform to unveil some of the company’s latest technological advancements.

At the exhibition hall, a wide range of Huawei’s latest ICT products and solutions, including its 5G equipment, cloud computing solutions, and artificial intelligence platforms, were showcased. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about these products and solutions from the experts and see them in action.

The day was concluded with the Sub-Sahara Africa Night Executive Banquet, where attendees from Africa were treated to dinner and entertainment.

During the three-day event, delegates from the Nigeria Customs Service attended various activities scheduled in the programme of events.
On Thursday, 21 September 2023, several networking events were held to allow attendees to connect with Huawei experts and customers to discuss their ICT needs and learn more about Huawei’s latest products and solutions.

The NCS delegation equally had the opportunity to have a private technical meeting with staff of the Huawei Africa division, who unveiled various ICT product portfolios that would suit their needs. The discussions centred on an array of critical areas arising from the event that include strides in Technology and AI, digital transformation, cybersecurity, innovation ecosystems, and sustainability.

On Friday, 22 September 2023, the delegation was taken on a city tour that included visiting the Liantang Port, where officials of Shenzhen Customs received them. A top customs official, Rosemary Wu Lan, while receiving the delegation from the Nigeria Customs Service, expressed their delight to host the delegation and presented them with a keepsake to commemorate their visit. The delegation was taken on a guided tour of the port and treated to demonstrations of Shenzhen customs operations.

Next, the delegation was taken on a tour by Mr. Dario Lui, Huawei Senior Business Development Director of the Huawei Smart Campus in Shenzhen, China, and the Huawei HQ Campus, Dongguan, where the cloud data centre was domiciled. These activities provided the NCS delegation with the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and technologies in the ICT industry, especially as the Service is on the verge of consolidating its modernization operations.

Speaking of her experience, ACG ICT/Modernisation, ACG Adeola, ACG Niagwan and Dr Umar Ajilola, in response, were very enthusiastic about their participation in the HUAWEI CONNECT 2023 Shanghai. They affirmed that they enjoyed learning about the latest ICT trends and technologies and looked forward to deploying some of Huawei’s latest products and solutions for use in the NCS Trade Modernization Project.