Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu
Chairman, Trade Modernisation Project
Under the leadership of Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, the Trade Modernisation Project has become a major technology and infrastructure intervention in Nigeria’s customs and trade ecosystem, with the objective of making border processes faster, more transparent and more efficient.
The project has supported the deployment and development of technology such as the B’Odogwu clearance system, designed to improve customs processing, reduce manual bottlenecks and strengthen revenue assurance. Stakeholder engagement around the platform has also focused on making the transition more practical for importers, exporters, banks and other trade participants.
Trade modernisation has implications beyond Customs. Faster and more predictable border processes can reduce transaction costs, improve supply-chain efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s position in regional and global commerce. The project also contributes to the broader modernisation of the country’s seaports and maritime trade ecosystem.
The significance of the initiative lies in its attempt to move a historically paper-intensive public service toward a technology-led model of trade facilitation.
The Daily Times of Nigeria honours Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu and the Trade Modernisation Project as Transformative Project of the Year for advancing digital customs administration, trade facilitation, revenue efficiency and the modernisation of Nigeria’s gateway to global commerce.