Apapa Customs achieves historic revenue milestone, Collects ₦304b in October, targets more

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), In a highly remarkable feat has collected ₦304b in October 2025, the highest monthly revenue generation by any customs command in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The Customs Area Controller of the command Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, praised officers and stakeholders, saying this achievement marks the beginning of greater revenue generation exploits under his watch at the command.

This record, the service said has surpassed the ₦264 billion collected in October 2024, and has brought the command’s total collection for the first ten months of 2025 to ₦2,402,141,493,747.06. Notably, the command has exceeded its entire 2024 collection two months ahead of schedule.

In a release signed by Supretendent of Customs John Ayagbalo, Public Relations Officer(PRO), Apapa Area Command revealed that the CAC has maintained that the latest revenue feat is an initial proof of the command’s readiness to process higher volume of trade,which will translate to greater collection for government.

Stating that officers and men have been sensitized ahead for a regime of Drive Through Scanning that would process an average of 150 containers per hour from the quayside which will be revolutionary in the annals of trade facilitation in any West African port.

Comptroller Oshoba noted that the command has enhanced its capabilities through an in-house training program for senior officers, positioning it to deliver exceptional results in line with the Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s vision.

“I commend my officers and our compliant stakeholders for this revenue collection milestone, but it’s not our final destination. While we are deploying all tools of trade facilitation as directed by the CGC, including the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) which harmonizes all customs procedures and processes to save time and promote efficiency, we are also preventing revenue leakages.

“We have a zero compromise stance in the application of demand notices (DN) for the recovery of uncovered shortfalls in revenue and my officers are very vigilant checking any attempt to misapply Harmonised System (HS) Code for duty evasion.

“To accentuate the importance we attach to trade facilitation, I have personally paid unannounced visits to some parts of the port access roads where I urged truckers, freight forwarders and licensed customs agents to cooperate with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) by prioritising the movement of their cleared consignments out of the ports

“I’ve also met with the Port Manager to enhance our collaboration and boost Apapa Port’s efficiency. Ensuring timely exit of cleared consignments is crucial, as delays can slow down new shipments coming for examination or scanning, ultimately impacting trade and our revenue collection and trade facilitation goals.

“We appreciate everyone’s continued support in consolidating our gains in revenue collection and trade facilitation. Together, we’re poised for even greater success,” the CAC stated.