By Chinenye Anuforo, [email protected]
Alioune Ciss is the chief executive of Webb Fontaine Group and key to the strategic drive, focus and direction of the company’s brand, managing world-leading trade reform digitalisation projects across the globe with governments and partners through innovative technology.
In this interview with Daily Sun, he speaks on Webb Fontaine’s operations in Nigeria.
Webb Fontaine in Nigeria
Webb Fontaine is an innovative technological firm that is changing the face of international trade. Webb Fontaine’s industry-wide solutions help governments throughout the world speed up trade’s development and modernization. The company uses cutting-edge technologies such as AI to position countries at the forefront of international trade.
Webb Fontaine was appointed by Nigeria Customs Service in 2005 to implement a Customs-centric Single Window, a Customs management system nationwide (NICIS II) and the provision of IT and telecom infrastructure for Nigeria.
Recently, Webb Fontaine launched cargo-tracking solutions.
Growing Nigeria’s economy
In the context of our work with the Nigeria Customs Service, the role of Customs is threefold: revenue generation, trade facilitation and security of our borders from people who wish to bring in things we do not want in Nigeria, such as illegal drugs and firearms.
Our work in Nigeria is to help NCS achieve all these. Specifically, the areas of trade facilitation and revenue collection directly impact the economy.
By automating Customs procedures, we have helped make trade faster, more efficient, and more transparent. Transactions that used to take days can now be carried out in hours, with greater accuracy, and without subjecting those responsible with the burden of handling cash. Many things can be done remotely from a workstation or from the premises of an economic operator. In addition, Artificial Intelligence allows predictability, which enhances the knowledge and instincts of the very experienced officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Potential of Nigeria in leveraging industry-leading technology solutions
It’s interesting you should say that, because many people do not realise the extent of advancement of Nigeria’s Customs environment. Maybe this is because of our huge size, both physically and economically. For example NCS processes up to 80,000 declarations a month.
Currently, most certificates required for trade and commerce at the borders are already digital. They cannot be faked, and are easily transmitted. The process is now paperless, although some operators still like to store products in paper form – hard copy.
With the advent of Africa Free Trade Area, we will need to build on this so that Nigeria becomes a trade hub for the continent. We cannot do that without the most advanced systems. Fortunately, the technology is available, and we just need to conclude our internal organisation in order to take full advantage of it.
How do you make sure that your systems and solutions are reliable?
Webb Fontaine has five R&D centers around the world, focused on trade and customs technology and innovation. Not only do we have IT professionals, we also have people with extensive knowledge of international trade, customs procedures, and port administration.
When it comes to staying at the top of our game, one way we do it is by keeping up with the latest and greatest developments and best practises in our field. There is always room for improvement, therefore we are always on the lookout for new ideas and talented individuals to work with.
Our technology is industry leading, as all our clients can testify to, and again, we are continuously updating, upgrading, and upscaling. There has been a dramatic shift in technology over the past decade, and it is safe to assume that the next decade will see yet another dramatic shift. As a group we are continually motivated by this.
As a result of the rapid evolution of technology, our five research and development facilities located throughout the world are among the best in their fields.
How can Nigeria benefit from your R & D centres?
Through constant innovation and development, we provide our clients, such as the Nigeria Customs service, with access to the greatest technology and people in the business through our network of research and development (R&D) centres, which are designed to power trade and Customs through technology.
Milestones achieved working with Nigeria Customs Service
In spite of industry and economic challenges, the Nigeria Customs Service has seen revenue growth in recent years. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reports that between January and June of this year, it brought in N1.293 trillion in income for the federal government.
This is up from the N1 trillion earned at the same time last year, a rise of 28.83 percent. Revenues have consistently risen year on year, and transactions processed have increased by an even greater margin.
We’re honoured to have served as their official technology partner over the years and to implement powerful technology to support their success story.
Challenges
The challenges we face in Nigeria are not uncommon to all operating environments, and with challenge comes opportunity.
In Nigeria, we have to overcome power crises, port congestion, geographically widespread borders and telecommunications challenges in remote areas. All these have solutions, and together with the very capable officers of NCS, we have been able to overcome these.
There will continue to be challenges, and we will continue to seek out innovative and efficient solutions to these.
Webb Fontaine Nigeria in 5 years’ time
In 5 years we expect to continue serving our various clients with excellence. We hope to be fully integrated with the ports community and fully embedded within the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
Other than that, we do not know what the future holds, but whatever it brings, we will be ready!