Apapa Customs records highest monthly revenue of N264,4b, hits record NI,875 in 10 months

…Intercepts, hands over 6 containers of unwholesome pharmaceutical

…Renders Saturdays, Sundays services

….Makes 36 seizures in 10 months

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) has collected the highest revenue ever of N264,455,587,792.56 billion in October 2024, having cumulatively raked in an unprecedented NI,875,362,369,214.4 trillion between January and October 2024.

The command since the assumption of duty of Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, has maintained a consistent, record-braking and significant increase in revenue generation catalyzed by the Saturdays and Sundays operations that has ensured importers take delivery of their cargoes timeously.

The command’s January to October revenue exceeded the 2023 remittance by 101 percent being N931,123,998,213.88. It further expressed optimism that it would surpass it’s 2024 target of N2.2 trillion.

Addressing journalists, Comptroller. Olomu said the briefing was to highlight trilateral issues of handing over seizures to thier sister government agency, to once again encourage compliant port users for their cooperation, as well as remind the public of the resolve of the command to make Apapa port a no passage area for unlawful trade.

The command he said Is migrating to paperless system to embrace the new trade facilitation tools like AEO and Advanced Ruling to ensure seamless movement of both import and export of cargoes.

On anti smuggling, he said, “Today, on the instruction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, we shall be handing over six containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“This handover further underscores the robust inter-agency collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and sister government agencies in the port. It further demonstrates our ability to prevent illicit importation from entering the Nigerian market through the port.

“As a service, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing the import and export of cargo that could undermine their well-being and security. These medical importations have expired, while others are not evaluated by NAFDAC and could cause damages to Nigerians, if consumed,

The content of these containers contravenes the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff (CET) and section 233 of the NCS Act 2023. Some of the contents are unapproved dosage of tramadol, cough syrup with codeine, injections and more.

“However, from January 2024 to date, we have made well over 36 seizures of various items ranging from used clothings, frozen poultry product, Tramadol, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and other controlled substances. These seizures are valued at over NI.5 billion.

“In line with the Federal Government agenda of Ease of Doing Business, the command operates on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that importers take delivery of their cargoes devoid of any delay. We also have an intra government working system where all government agencies work together as a team without compromising the mandates of our respective agencies. Equally, we have a wider customs-stakeholder forum where only issues pertaining to customs alone are looked into and addressed as and when due.

He expressed satisfaction that stakeholders compliance has tremendously improved and declared his zero tolerance to smuggling and unwholesome activities.

“Let me remind all our port users that every consignment passing through the NCS in this port will be subjected to thorough examination using scanners and physical means when necessary.

“We shall continue to detect false declarations, concealment, under valuation and other unethical practices aimed at evading duties, short changing the government and exposing citizens to unsafe products.”