The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday, July 8, said its Apapa Area Command generated N1.02 trillion in the first half of 2024.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that this disclosure was made by the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Babatunde Olomu, during a press briefing in Lagos.
Olomu said the figure represented a 143 per cent increase over the N421.38 billion generated during the same period in the past year.
According to Olomu, NCS efforts at promoting and facilitating trade are currently yielding visible results.
His words, “Our efforts have been mainly targeted at preventing revenue losses, improving ease of doing business, and engaging stakeholders.
“We have implemented measures to prevent government revenue loss by using a blend of intelligence and community relations.”
Details of revenue generated at Apapa Area Command
Speaking further, the controller noted that during the period under review, the NCS intercepted 11 containers of regulated items, such as expired drugs, contraband goods, and frozen birds worth N424 million, compared to 42 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2023.
He said, “These seizures were made from dishonest importers attempting to smuggle goods into Nigeria.”
In addition, the command also uncovered a large quantity of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals in three 40ft containers and another three 40ft containers loaded with 7,580 cartons of frozen poultry products unfit for human consumption.
According to the Area controller, t these smuggled items violated Schedule Three of the revised import prohibition list of the Common External Tariff (CET) and Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Olumo assured that the cargo inspection would not be compromised and that the command would continue to make seizures, detentions, and arrests as needed.
He said these efforts would help to protect the national economy and prevent Nigerians from exposure to dangerous or unwholesome products like illicit drugs.
