By Innocent Orok
The Apapa Port Customs Command , the flagship Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected the sum of N753.8bn as revenue to the Federation coffers as at the first quarter of 2025.
The amount is N205 billion higher than the N489 billion collected within the same period of 2024.
Briefing the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, led to the Command on oversight function by its Chairman, Hon. Leke Abejide, Comptroller Olomu announced that the command generated N753.8 billion as at first quarter revenue of 2025 which is N205 billion higher than the N489 billion collected at the same period of 2024.
He also disclosed that the command achieved a daily record-breaking revenue collection of N18.9bn on Friday, March 14, 2025, which stands out as the highest in the 135-year history of the Service.
Comptroller Olomu noted that the new record breaks the existing highest daily collection of N18.2bn which was achieved in October 2024 by the command.
According to him, “the successes of compliance, revenue collection, and anti-smuggling are fallouts of collaborations where intelligence is gathered processed and deployed for national economic interest and security.”
Olomu said the command is playing a critical role in the Service’s modernization agenda, especially on the implementation of the Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu) and that between January 2025 to date, the Command has recorded nine seizures out of which five were unregistered pharmaceuticals smuggled into the country.
He urged the committee to interface with other government stakeholders regulating terminal operators like Eko Support, ENL, and APM Terminals on the need for them to upgrade their working equipment in line with the concession agreements signed with the Federal Government.
He said if properly looked into, this has the potential of facilitating trade and in the long run, increasing the revenue generating capacity of the NCS.
He emphasised that one of the key challenges facing the command is the shortage of scanning machines and essential technological equipment.
Having listed the challenges facing the command, Comptroller Olomu recommended that there should be a legislation towards the procurement of more scanners at the ports and border stations to facilitate cargo clearance, good road network to reduce congestion and improve the flow of goods, increase in budgetary allocation to procure cargo tracking devices and advance surveillance technologies, such as drones, which will help curb smuggling activities and cargo diversion.
And regulation for terminal operators like APMT, ENL, Eko Support and off- dock terminals to invest in modern equipment to enhance operational efficiency, reduce cargo handling time and improve overall service delivery.
