By Innocent Orok
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, on Monday, 7th April 2025, received the House of Representatives committee on Customs and Excise who were at the command for oversight visit. Led by the Chairman, Hon. Leke Abejide, the visit is part of the National Assembly’s statutory oversight responsibilities as enshrined in Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Welcoming the delegation, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller (Dr) Ben Oramalugo, expressed deep appreciation for the Committee’s presence, describing it as a strong demonstration of their commitment to enhancing Customs administration, trade facilitation, and national revenue optimization.
Comptroller Oramalugo highlighted the strategic importance of the Joint Border Post (JBP) along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, which serves as a vital hub for regional trade. He reiterated the command’s dedication to embracing the JBP initiative, which fosters cooperation with the Republic of Benin, promotes intelligence sharing, and improves customs clearance through the one-stop border post model.
Since assuming office on 11th February 2025, the Controller has focused on four key mandates: revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling operations, and inter-agency collaboration. Under his leadership, the Command has recorded significant achievements.
On revenue generation,the Command said it generated N1, 986,395,565.86k in the first quarter of 2025 through improved compliance, risk management, and enforcement.
In trade facilitation, the export activities were notably boosted with over 96,000 metric tonnes of goods with a Free On Board value of N20, 454,888,432.87k facilitated from January to March 2025.
While in the area of anti-smuggling activities, the command from January to March 2025, made several seizures ranging from petroleum products, narcotics, foreign rice, poultry, vehicles, foreign parboiled rice and more with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N855,700,524.00k.
Comptroller Oramalugo, however, outlined several operational challenges faced by the Command, including poor infrastructure, shortage of personnel and equipment, lack of power supply for over Seven (7) years in the entire Seme axis, and ocean encroachment. He called for urgent government intervention, especially in technology deployment, environmental protection, and enforcement of contractual obligations on stalled projects.
Responding, the Chairman of the House Committee on Customs, Hon. Leke Abejide, reaffirmed the Committee’s resolve to critically assess the operations, revenue performance and capital projects in line with the 2023 and 2024 budgetary approvals.
He said “We are here to check your books, operations, and ongoing projects to ensure alignment with appropriated funds and to determine areas for retention or removal in the 2025 budget,” Abejide stated.
He emphasized the need for the Command to provide data on revenue performance in relation to targets, impact of E-Customs and digital platforms and efforts made in suppressing smuggling and promoting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.
Furthermore, Hon. Abejide assured that the welfare of Customs officers is of equal priority, encouraging the Command to use the opportunity to present actionable needs for inclusion in the 2025 budget.
The visit concluded with mutual assurances of continued collaboration in strengthening the Nigeria Customs Service as a key driver of economic development, regional integration, and national security.
