馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Nigeria Customs Service to deploy AI for enhanced revenue generation and reduced leakages
via Punch Nigeria5 min read
The Nigeria Customs Service announced plans to implement artificial intelligence to improve revenue collection, enhance remittances, and minimize audit queries. Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated that this move signifies a shift from a reactive approach to legislative summons to a proactive partnership with oversight bodies. He emphasized that AI would significantly boost Customs operations, manage complex trade systems, and identify anomalies, particularly in managing trade volumes and detecting leakages. Adeniyi highlighted that technology has already transformed various aspects of the Service's work, but AI is expected to elevate efficiency further. The World Customs Organisation has integrated AI into the harmonized system for better goods classification, and AI-enabled scanners are already in use to predict imported item characteristics. The Chairman of the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, Bamidele Salam, commended the initiative, viewing it as a sign of growing maturity in the relationship between the legislature and revenue-generating agencies. He noted that parliamentary oversight aims to strengthen governance and ensure compliance with laws, not solely to find faults. Salam linked the AI deployment to Nigeria's fiscal realities, stressing the need for stronger revenue performance to support the national budget.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, stated that he relies on his wife's prayers for continued support from President Bola Tinubu, highlighting its importance for ministers to fulfill their mandates. Speaking at the inauguration of the Water Supply Network to Bwari Satellite Town, Wike mentioned that his administration has officially commissioned 50 projects and plans to commission 10 more before January. He stressed that presidential backing is crucial for performance, drawing from his experience as a former governor and minister. Wike revealed he asks his wife to pray for the President's continued support for the FCT Administration, acknowledging the support received has enabled positive changes. He added that governance aims to improve citizens' lives, a goal he believes the Tinubu administration is working towards.
Must ReadThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA of Nigeria and its Egyptian counterpart are preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding MoU to enhance cooperation in fighting substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking. This agreement aims to strengthen intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training between the two nations. NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa retd., announced this during a visit from the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, at the agency's headquarters in Abuja. Marwa emphasized the global nature of the drug problem and the need for international collaboration, citing existing partnerships with various international law enforcement agencies. He noted that drug cartels are seeking alternative routes in Africa due to pressure elsewhere and highlighted NDLEA's success in dismantling drug manufacturing operations, including methamphetamine labs run by Mexican cartels in Nigeria. Ambassador Fouad underscored the importance of stronger bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria, as prominent African countries, to address narcotics trafficking from a continental perspective. The proposed MoU is expected to bolster intelligence gathering, capacity building, and coordinated enforcement actions to curb the illicit drug trade across Africa.
A coroner's court in the United Kingdom has ruled that Beatrice Solomon, a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, died by suicide. Ms. Solomon, who moved to the UK in November 2023 on a skilled worker visa, was found unresponsive in her Stanfield home. Her husband, Damian Butler, discovered her upon returning home from work. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Police investigators ruled out any third-party involvement. During the inquest, Mr. Butler stated that his wife had struggled with her mental health for the past year, attributing it to issues with Stoke-on-Trent City Council. He also revealed that Ms. Solomon had made two previous attempts to take her own life. A post-mortem examination determined the cause of death as oxygen deprivation. Coroner Li Hammond-Naylor concluded that Ms. Solomon died by suicide, noting that she had researched and planned the act. Ms. Solomon, a caregiver, is survived by her husband, a son, and her siblings.