By Innocent Orok
To meet its 2024 revenue target of N1.130 Trillion, the Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has declared the year 2024 as ” Year of the Stakeholders”.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, Customs Area Controller of Nigeria’s second largest port, while briefing newsmen on Tuesday said the stakeholders are the ones who contributed to the success of the Command in 2023, which resulted in its collecting a total of N716, 479,007,576.70k, which amounted to 89.43% out of a target of N801, 142,297,407.66k. The 2023 collection also shows an increase of N142, 093, 937, 901.34k from the N574, 385,069, 675.40k collected in 2022.
In the area of Enforcement/Anti-smuggling activities of the Command, there were a total of 96 detentions and 47 seizures made in the year under review. These include; 1264 packages weighing 473.50kg of Colorado (Cannabis Indica )with a street value of N118,381,184.00 concealed in various containers from 8 seizures, 10 sacks of used clothing and five used fridges with a DPV of N3,170,821in 1x40ft container.
Other detentions are; 3028 pieces of matches, 435 Cartons of De Ruth Tomato Paste, Unregistered Pharmaceutical Products in 2x 40ft Containers, 7X40ft Containers containing Bulk Charcoal with a DPV of N24,769,161. 12 different Arms, six different pistols, 500 Ammunition of different caliber extracted from 1X40ft Container, 58 bags and three bags of used shoes concealed in 1X40ft and 1X40ft respectively, 987 bales of used clothing extracted from three containers, suspected concealment in 2X20ft declared as gauze rolls, one unit of Land Rover Discovery with Chassis number, among others. The total value for seized items within the year stood at N3,160,972,083.50.
“Additionally, there were 50,297 containers with a breakdown of 15, 289 20ft containers, 34,55740ft containers and 45,1 45ft containers used as means conveyance of goods through January to December, 2023 at Tin Can Island Port. Also, there were 1,430 Units of new vehicles and 4,342 Units of used vehicles imported through the Tin Can Island port.
” In terms of revenue generation, the Enforcement Unit through painstaking efforts and interventions aided the Command through Demand Notices to the sum of N210,781,823.00″, Comptroler Nnadi said .
In terms of Exports, a total tonnage of goods exported through Tin Can Island Port for the year under review is Metric Tonnes (623,694.7 MT) with a total Free On Board FOB of N489,221,453,693.
” These is an impressive growth with a notable increase of Eighty Five Point Five Percent (85.5%) in tonnage and One Hundred and One Point Nine percent (101.9%) increase in FOB Value when compared to the year, 2022. The products exported through the command in the year under review include; agricultural Products like Cocoa Beans, cashew Nuts, Sesame seeds, Soya Beans, Hibiscus Flower, etc.
“Locally Manufactured Goods like Cosmetics, Hair Attachments, Indomie Noodles, Beverages, Cigarettes, and Insecticides.
Mineral Resources such as Lithium Ore, Tin Ore, Fluorite Ore, Aluminium Ingots and Lead Ingots etc. Goods previously imported after the payment of 2.5% levy on the current value of the goods with government permission.
“Other various exports like Charcoal, Personal Effects, Items for Repair and Return.
It is important to acknowledge the critical role played by the Customs Intelligence Unit, the Valuation unit, Customs Strike force, FOU as well as interventions by sister regulatory agencies such as NDLEA, NAFDAC, DSS, SON, the Nigeria Police and others in making these seizures and detentions.”
In the area of trade facilitation and stakeholders engagement, Comptroller Dera Nnadi said “the Command continues to provide a conducive environment for trade through continuous engagement and collaboration with relevant stakeholders and regulatory agencies of Government.The Command has had several meetings with stakeholders in 2023; meeting with fast track beneficiaries in the Command, addressing their challenges and opportunities for growth.
“Engagements with NPA and Terminal Operators on the need to decongest the port corridors for free flow of import laden containers.
Collaboration of the Command with terminal operators on schedule and modalities on the overtime clearance of cargoes in TCIP.
The shipping lines in TCIP are constantly inundated on the need to guide their NICIS access as the incidence of fraudulent/double transmission of bill ladings has become too prevalent in recent times.
“Regular meetings with compliant and high net worth stakeholders like Crown Flour, Promasidor Nig Ltd, Hurlag Nig ltd, BUA etc. The Command encourages their businesses and proffer avenues for improvements in areas they need help.
The Command is in relationship with Journalists, men of the press and other relevant associations who help our port operations.
Additionally, the dispute settlement structure of the Command aligns with the provisions of the import duty mechanism outlined in paragraph (H) subparagraph (8) of the Import Guidelines, Procedure and Documentation Requirements which allows an importer to take delivery of his cargo in the case of persistent dispute after securing a bank bond, the total duties and taxes payable on the item being disputed.”
Meanwhile, the Command has been given a revenue target of N1,130,768,051,881.29, which transcends to a monthly average target of N94,230,670,990.11, a weekly average of N21,662,223,216.12 and
daily average target of N 4,332,444,643.22 for the 2024 fiscal year.
Nnadi concludes that in the year 2024, the Command will continue to put in more effort towards better performance and is optimistic that with the content of digitisation of all customs processes and procedures based on the modernization agenda of the Service and the recent introduction of 24 hour work operations and optimization of the non-intrusive technology such as scanners, we would be able to achieve more in our core responsibilities.
“Our projection will include improved performance in the areas of revenue collection, facilitation of legitimate trade, enhance the capacity and skills of Officers and Men of the Command as we continue to work in line with the CGC’s agenda to Reform, Restructure and Increase Revenue collection.
“We continue to express our appreciation for the support and clear sense of direction from the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi, MFR, and the Management of the Nigeria Customs Service for their relentless effort towards strengthening the capacity of the Service to perform its statutory responsibilities in line with international best practices”.
