Compt. Olomu Steps Up Trade Facilitation, Realises #1.6trillion.

By Joe Njoku,

The Apapa Premier Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total sum of #1,610,906,781,421.42 at the end of third quarter of 2024. The amount (#1,172,414,793,960.32) generated is far higher than the amount generated as total revenue of the year 2023.

Customs Area Controller, Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, fsi who described the laudable feat as a fallout of diligence and integrity, said the command will continually engage with stakeholders to improve on the revenue generation achievements and reduced smuggling recorded to the commands credit.

However, he identified the #201.8 billion collected in July 2024 and #193.9 billion in September 2024 as spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year beginning from October, 2024.

He said that the various trade facilitation programs put in place by the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, like the advance ruling, time release study and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) are being dutifully implemented for the overall benefit of the nation’s economy.

Comptroller Olomu commended 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. He reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling.

According to him, the command will continually engage with all stakeholders to sustain the rising level of compliance, which has resulted in reduced smuggling in the command.

He said, 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.

However, he urged all port users in Apapa to avail themselves of the services of dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty while reassuring licenced customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the Command’s readiness to assist at all times.

Olomu thanked other sister government agencies for their support and stated that the command will continually leverage on its relationship with them to share intelligence against criminal elements, do joint examination in line with extant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and promote compliance at all times.

‘Our revenue collection is good, and I know we can do better with more impressive result 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 that the best is yet to come. We are not losing guard. Our tempo of vigilance is airtight, which attest to our capacity to detect smuggling and effect 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,’ he added.