Customs rakes in N1.6tr in Q3 2024 in Apapa Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Port Command said  that it generated N1.6 trillion as revenue at the end of the third quarter (Q3) of this year.

The amount generated, findings revealed, is higher than N1.1 trillion that was collected as total revenue of the command, last year.

The total amount generated in the third quarter of this year 2024, is N1,610,906,781,421.82k, while the total amount generated by the command for the whole of last year was N1,172,414,793,960.32k

Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu, while addressing reporters, on Monday October 7, described the feat as a fallout of diligence and integrity, adding that the command will continue to engage the stakeholders to improve on the revenue collection achievements and reduce smuggling recorded to the lowest minimum in the command.

Olomu stated that the N201.8b collected in July 2024 and N193.9b in September 2024 were spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year beginning this month of October.

The Area Controller highlighted that the various trade facilitation programmes put in place by the Comptroller General of Customs, 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.”

Olomu reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling and corrupt practices, while commending officers of the command for the achievement in revenue collection relying on diligent examination and uncompromising interventions through the issuance of demand notices, when and where when necessary.

According to him, “the command will continually engage with all stakeholders to sustain the rising level of compliance, which has resulted in reduced smuggling in the area.

“The strict monitoring of cargoes, constant profiling of port users, sensitization of stakeholders and in-house training, and retraining of customs officers have jointly contributed to the almost zero level of smuggling in recent times.”

He charged all port users in Apapa to avail themselves of the services of the dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty and reassured licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the command’s readiness to assist at all times.

Area Controller, Olomu, commended the sister government agencies for their support and stressing that the command will always leverage its relationship with them to share intelligence against criminal elements, do joint examinations in line with extant standard operating procedures (SOPs) and promote compliance at all times.

He stated further “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. Reduced smuggling activities are 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 seizures.

“As we do trade facilitation, our anti-smuggling activities are done side by side leveraging on 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”.