The Nigeria Customs Service has clarified that its Unified Customs Management System, known as B’Odogwu, does not generate, substitute, or alter foreign exchange rates used for cargo clearance and valuation.
The B’Odogwu platform serves as the sole official system for customs declarations, cargo clearance, and valuation in Nigeria.
It was established to modernise and standardise customs operations through digital integration across all Nigeria Customs Service formations.
Exchange rates are a fundamental element in determining the value of imported and exported goods for duty and revenue purposes.
The Central Bank of Nigeria remains the statutory authority responsible for setting and transmitting official foreign exchange rates under Nigeria’s monetary framework.
In a statement issued on Monday, Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, addressed public commentary on foreign exchange pricing and valuation practices.
He reiterated that the B’Odogwu system relies exclusively on exchange rates electronically transmitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Maiwada said that under no circumstances does the Customs Service determine, generate, modify, or apply margins to foreign exchange rates within the platform.
He explained that where changes occur in data transmission formats, the system is designed to retain the last valid official rate until the updated information is processed.
The NCS statement also clarified that a reported exchange rate of N1,451.63 per US dollar on February 6, 2026, did not originate from the B’Odogwu system.
Instead, the rate was published on a legacy public trade information portal that is not used for live customs processing.
According to the Customs Service, the official exchange rate applied on that day for customs valuation was N1,365.56 per US dollar, as communicated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
All subsequent rates applied by the service have reflected official figures transmitted by the apex bank and implemented automatically through the B’Odogwu system.
The NCS said it is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria to enable seamless application programming interface‑based integration to further strengthen real‑time exchange rate transmission and system reliability.
The Customs Service described the clarification as part of its commitment to transparency, predictability, and compliance with statutory fiscal and monetary policy directives.
It reaffirmed the role of official Central Bank exchange rates in all valuation processes through the B’Odogwu platform.
