Apapa customs generates N502bn in 7 months

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has earned N502 billion revenue from January till date.

The Customs Area Controller of the Command (CAC), Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Mohammed added that the service made 16 seizures worth N1.4 billion.

He described the revenue collection and seizures made as fallouts of increased compliance.

Mohammed urged officers to redouble their efforts in revenue collection, trade facilitating and strict enforcement of anti-smuggling activities.

“The command made a collection of N9.2 billion on July 20. This feat is the highest daily collection it ever achieved in its existence since the port was established,” he said.

He said that on anti-smuggling, the seizures made within the period comprised prohibited drugs, used tyres, rice, vegetable oil, and sundry items.

“It is noteworthy that the command made a seizure of two pistols inside one groupage cargo. One suspect was arrested, and the matter is undergoing investigation,” he said.

Mohammed said the command had achieved an increased level of compliance by importers, exporters, and their agents through deliberate system profiling and manifest tracking.

According to him, non compliant traders spend more time and money paying for terminal space due to demurrage plus higher cost due to DN’s and penalties.

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Mohammed noted that he had raised the level of electronic manifest tracking to accelerate trade facilitation leveraging on available technology.

He described this feat as a masterstroke in the journey towards trade facilitation and ease of doing business.

Mohammed charged officers at a recent monthly meeting of terminal/unit heads to sustain and improve upon the level of discipline the command had been noted for under his watch.

He characterised discipline as the foundation of good work etiquette, such as punctuality, diligent application of Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023 and other noble virtues that align with the law.

He stressed that Nigeria had high expectations of the NCS and that the service was looking up to Apapa Command for its highest collection.

The Star