Trade confidence returns as Seme Customs posts N4.1bn February revenue

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), Seme Border Command, has recorded a remarkable N4.1 billion revenue in February alone, driven largely by a surge in agricultural and perishable goods exports, signaling a strong rebound in cross-border trade activities along the Seme-Krake corridor.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, said the figure represents a significant leap from the N650 million generated in February last year, attributing the growth to renewed stakeholder confidence, streamlined border operations and increased compliance among traders..

Speaking at an event organised by the Nigerian Shippers Council in collaboration with ECOWAS, GIZ in Badagry on Wednesday, the Customs area Comptroler noted that revenue is a significant improvement from the N650million generated in February 2025, even as he revealed that agricultural produce and perishable items are being given special attention at the command.

“For this February that has not ended, we have already generated N4.1billion as revenue.

Last year February 2025 revenue was only N650million.

“So, if in February alone we are able to generate N4.1billion, it means that there is a lot of things going on, people are building confidence on this border corridor.

“On the number of checkpoints, I can assure you that it has been reduced to two checkpoints.

“My CGC, Adewale Adeniyi sometimes pass on this road without checkpoints, and I can tell you that Agbara and Gbaji are the only two approved checkpoints, every other ones are illegitimate.

We have intervention points and patrols because of the security situation between Seme and Gbaji, this has reduced the rate of crimes along that axis” he said

Comptroller Adenuga attributed the reduction in checkpoints to the Joint Border security meeting of all agencies operating at the border post which holds at once every month.

According to him “The President has demonstrated the political will to ensure that the checkpoints are reduced, but he would not come down and do it for us, it is the stakeholders that must intentionally get it done”

Speaking on the express attention given to agricultural produce and perishable items, he said “Last week alone, I signed the remittance of baggage assessments into the Federation Account and it was about N15million for the perishable items alone.

When I came in, all they were paying was just N200,000.

But today, you can see that trade is flowing fluently and things are getting better.

“Another issue is documentation. Some of us lack documentation and knowledge. All the border security agencies need to be aware of the Shippers Council Border Information Centre (BIC)

“I encourage the traders to move in groups, establish clusters, it would help your business, instead of coming individually,” Adenuga revealed.