By Anthony Nwachukwu
The Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has continued its record-setting performance with an approximate sum of N1.61 trillion revenue collected in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, which the Customs Area Controller, Compt. Babatunde Olomu, said was “a fallout of diligence and integrity.”
The figure exceeded by over N44 billion the approximate total of N1.17 trillion that the command collected for the entire 2023.
Olomu described the N201.8 billion collected in July 2024 and the N193.9 billion in September 2024 as spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year, beginning from this month, according to a statement from the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Usman Abubakar.
According to him, the various trade facilitation programmes initiated by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, like Advance Ruling, Time Release Study and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) are being dutifully implemented for the overall benefit of the nation’s economy.
While commending the officers of the command for their achievement in revenue collection through diligent examination and uncompromising interventions, and the issuance of demand notices where and when necessary, Olomu reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling.
According to him, the strict monitoring of cargoes, constant profiling of port users, sensitisation of stakeholders and in-house training, as well as the retraining of customs officers have jointly contributed to the near-zero level of smuggling in recent times.
Therefore, he urged all port users in Apapa to avail themselves of the services of the dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty, while reassuring licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the command’s readiness to assist at all times.
And for their support in the anti-smuggling drive, he thanked sister-agencies, stating that the command will always leverage its relationship with them for shared intelligence against criminal elements, do joint examinations in line with extant standard operating procedures (SOPs) and promote compliance at all times.
“Our revenue collection is good, and I know we can do better with more impressive results in the last quarter of 2024. I want to thank our compliant stakeholders for their cooperation in supporting us to achieve this level of collection,” Olomu stated.
“Reduced smuggling activities is a testament to affirm the compliance we are celebrating, and I can say the best is yet to come. We are not losing guard. Our tempo of vigilance is airtight, which attests to our capacity to detect smuggling and make seizures.
“As we do trade facilitation, our anti-smuggling activities are done side by side, leveraging our non-intrusive technology for cargo scanning and physical examination when necessary. Let me also state that these standards and procedures are strictly adhered to in all bonded terminals under our control.”
