By Providence Adeyinka

Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited has said it will continue to offer efficient ICT services to drive trade facilitation in the cargo clearance chain.

The assurance is coming on the heels of the recent disruptions in the Nigeria Customs Service portal, said to have been caused by factors beyond its control under a harsh telecommunication atmosphere.

The firm expressed dismay at the development, amid fear of possible sabotage and vandalism, even as it assured users of the Customs portal that it is working around the clock with its telecom partners to isolate and resolve the issues, and to reduce service interruption.

In a statement signed by Managing Director of Webb Fortune, Ope Babalola, the NCS ICT Service Provider further said  it has deployed it’s team of engineers to ensure that every cause for a future breakdown is eliminated.

The statement reads: “Fontaine Nigeria Limited wish to reassure members of the trading public using the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, portal of its unwavering commitment in ensuring excellent service delivery.

“At Webb Fontaine Nigeria we are looking to offer the best end user experience and to maximize the service availability in a very challenging (in a very particular) telecommunications environment. 

“The recent interruptions were caused by factors beyond the control of Webb Fontaine Nigeria or its telecommunications partners. “Nevertheless, by working around the clock with our telecom partners we were able to isolate and resolve these issues thus reducing the service interruption to a minimum.”

The statement continues: “While we are yet to conclude if this was due to some deliberate vandalism or other causes, we have deployed our team of engineers, to ensure that every cause for a future breakdown is eliminated.”

Babalola explained that Webb Fortune has a global reputation for excellent ICT services and played leading role in helping to grow the Nigerian economy and have continued to partner critical agencies of the federal government. 

“In many other countries where we operate, we are at the fore of providing solutions for trade facilitation, powered by world class technology and artificial intelligence.

“We also deliberately contribute in knowledge transfer through training and retraining of the country’s relevant manpower to achieve and sustain efficiency.

“Our Nigeria Customs Integrated System (NICIS II), a bespoke and tailor made initiative for customs efficiency, has proven to be a home grown technological innovation running on international best practices and delivering credible results

“The NCS, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and many other government and private sector players in the import/ export community have leveraged on our provided solutions over the years. 

“We have contributed immensely in migration from hitherto manual processes to a state of improved automation which has resulted in revenue increase and seamless processing

“For instance, importing agents can now go to the portal for trade actors to process all the required documentation, from e-Form M – the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and NCS’ online mandatory documentation process – to the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR system of the NCS, and finally clearing their consignments.

“This has improved the transparency of NCS operations, raised revenue collection and blocked possible areas of leakages through risk assessment and management.”

The Webb Fortaine boss noted that the NCS team of result driven officers are utilising the provided platform for great results, citing the N1trillion half year revenue the service collected January to June 2021as example of positive leverage on its ICT services.