Despite the significant decline in the volume of trade, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has collected a record N1.87trillion in ten months at Apapa port between January and October 2024.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi, disclosed this during a press conference on Monday.
Olomu observed that the revenue collected between January and October 2024 already exceeds total 2023 revenue of N931,123,998,213.88 by 101%.
The Apapa Customs boss remarked that his command has been able to block leakages to achieve maximum collection of revenue as evidenced in its monthly activities.
His words: “NCS management is driving a modern and paperless system and here in Apapa we are gearing up to migrate from the old system to a new system while maximizing the benefits of what we have presently. Nevertheless, the command has keyed into trade facilitation tools like AEO and Advanced Ruling to ensure seamless movement of both import and export cargoes.
“Furthermore, in line with the Federal Government agenda of Ease of Doing Business, the Command operates on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that importers take delivery of their cargoes devoid of any delay. We also have an intra-government working system where all government agencies work together as a team without compromising the mandates of our respective agencies. We equally have a wider customs-stakeholder forum where only issues pertaining to customs are looked into”
Comptroller Olomu also handed over six (6) containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“This handover further underscores the robust inter-agency collaboration between the Customs and sister government agencies in the port. It further demonstrates our ability to prevent illicit importation from entering the Nigerian market through the port.
“As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing the import and export of cargo that could undermine their well-being and security. These medical importations have expired, while others are not evaluated by NAFDAC and could cause damages to Nigerians, if consumed,” Olomu said.
He thanked Apapa port stakeholders for their ever-increasing compliance at the port and promised to increase its interactions and engagement with port users as directed by the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi MFR.
“We shall continue to detect false declarations, concealment, under valuation and other unethical practices aimed at evading duties, short changing the government and exposing citizens to unsafe products,” Olomu reassured.
