A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the federal government from enforcing the Customs Modernisation Project, otherwise known as e-Custom by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The dispute arose after one of the companies in the consortium, Bionica, allegedly showed “recalcitrance” out of the terms of the agreement which was a federal government initiative for the automation and digitization of all the businesses, processes, and procedures of the Nigerian Customs Service, and to establish its paperless operations through Huawei Technologies Ltd.
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However, the Customs and a consortium, Trade Modernisation Project Limited, had in May 2022, signed a concession agreement worth $3.2bn to digitise operations of the border security and revenue collection outfit, with expected $176bn revenue.
Justice Inyang Ekwo on Friday further ordered status quo to be maintained in the matter pending the determination of the suit brought by the E-Customs HC Project Limited and Bionica Technologies (West Africa) Limited which jointly challenged the alleged unlawful concession of the e-custom project to the African Finance Corporation.
The interim order followed an ex parte application by counsel to the two aggrieved companies, Mr Anone Usman Esq seeking to protect the interest of his clients.
The court ordered the service of the processes on the defendants in the matter, including writ of summons on the African Finance Corporation at its headquarters at 3a Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State. The suit has been adjourned to June 28.
Meanwhile, the NCS on Sunday, said it would challenge the order stopping it from going ahead with the implementation of the $3.2bn project.
The National Public Relations Officer of Customs, DC Timi Bomodi, told Daily Trust by telephone that a team of Customs lawyers were studying the order.
He said: “The service will definitely appeal the order. The service has competent lawyers and they are currently studying the order. The Modernization project is in the interest of the nation. The aggrieved parties actually joined the service in the lawsuit and as a law-abiding service will challenge it in court.”
