Customs collects N343 billion revenue in two months
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported impressive revenue collection, totaling over N343 billion in just two months.
This announcement was made by the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, during a media briefing in Abuja marking his first 100 days in office.
Adeniyi highlighted the significant boost in monthly revenue collection, noting a substantial increase from an average monthly collection of N202 billion in the first half of the year to an impressive N343 billion in the past two months (July and August).
This remarkable growth represents a 70.13% increase in revenue collection, consistently surpassing the monthly target of N307 billion.
He attributed part of this success to ongoing revenue recovery review activities, reaffirming the commitment to sustaining and expanding this momentum throughout the year, with the aim of minimizing deviations from targets.
Adeniyi emphasized the NCS’s role in driving the federal government’s non-oil export commodities initiative to boost foreign exchange earnings.
The Service is working on consolidating all seats into one terminal to enhance forex earnings from non-oil exports. Collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Ports Authority is underway to achieve this goal.
The battle against smuggling has also seen significant progress, with 1,763 seizures totaling N11.9 billion in duty paid value.
Seized contraband items included arms, ammunition, illicit drugs, substandard pharmaceuticals, and other prohibited goods. Sixty-two suspects are currently undergoing legal procedures in connection with these seizures.
Reflecting on his first 100 days in office, Adeniyi outlined various reforms aimed at optimizing revenue collection and transforming the Nigeria Customs Service.
These reforms included the introduction of advanced ruling systems, alignment with global best practices as per the WTO TFA (World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement), and revitalizing the zonal structures of the Service.
Adeniyi pledged to prioritize reducing the average time for cargo clearance, promising to measure and continually reduce clearance times at ports and border posts.
Looking ahead, he expressed the Customs’ commitment to investing in cutting-edge technologies to enhance surveillance, monitoring, and data management capabilities, further strengthening its ability to combat smuggling and illicit activities.
