The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Port Command, has collected over N1.6 trillion as at the end of the third quarter of 2024, an amount which is higher than N1.1 trillion collected in total revenue in 2023.
The Customs Public Relations Officer of the Command, Usman Abubakar, made this known in a statement.
According to the statement, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, ascribed the revenue collected to diligence and integrity, and added that the Command would continue to engage with stakeholders to improve on the revenue collection as well as tackle smuggling.
He identified the N201.8billion collected in July 2024 and N193.9billion in September 2024 as spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year beginning from October.
Olomu, however, outlined some trade facilitation programmes put in place by the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, like advance ruling, time release study and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) as being dutifully implemented for the overall benefit of the nation’s economy.
While commending officers of the command for the achievement in revenue collection relying on diligent examination and uncompromising interventions through issuance of demand notices, where and when necessary, the Area Controller reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling.
He said that the Command would continue to engage with all stakeholders to sustain the rising level of compliance, which has resulted in reduced smuggling in the area.
The Apapa Customs boss added that 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.
While encouraging Apapa port users to avail themselves of the services of the dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty, he reassured licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the command’s readiness to assist 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.
“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 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, ” Comptroller Olomu said.
