– Generates N3.3 Trillions in Sixteen Months
By Innocent Orok
The Apapa premier port has long been known as the leading and foremost sea port in Nigeria, having been the first port of entry and exit in the country. While, the Customs Command is the flagship of all Customs Commands in Nigeria.
Before the ports concessioning in 2006, the Apapa Port existed with less attraction. The post concession status of the Apapa Port which was balcanize into one container terminal (APMT), and three Bulk Cargo Terminals, ( ENL Consortium, Greenview Development Company and Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited ( ABTL) has not only rejigged activities of the Port , but also improved cargo inflow and revenue generation.
But, the recent geometrical increase in revenue may not only be attributed to Cargo inflow, but majorly attributed to the patriotic and dedicated workforce of the officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Port Command.
Regarded as unprecedented feat, the Command under Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi, PhD has broken all records of revenue collection, be it daily, weekly, monthly and annually.
COMPT. OLOMU IMPRESSIVE REVENUE COLLECTION RECORDS
In 2024, the Command generated a total revenue of N2.3 Trillion, while it just hitted its N1Trillion revenue collection in first week of May 2025.
In the first three months of 2025 the Apapa Port Customs Command has collected the sum of N753.8bn as revenue to the Federation coffers. The amount was 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 Babatunde 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.
N1Trillion IN THE KITTY WITHIN FOUR MONTHS OF 2025
Not relenting or tired, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu’s strategic revenue collection plan in 2025 is yielding greater outcome, beating the 2024 records.
In an impressive revenue collection strategic plan ahead of completing the first half of 2025, the Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service has hit ₦1 trillion revenue collection in first week of May, which is a landmark achievement in the history of the Service.
In a press statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer , Superintendent of Customs Tunde Ayagbalo, he said the Command’s revenue collection table shows a total of ₦1,002,968,178,694.07, this is coming more than 45 days ahead of the command’s half year report of activities.
Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, fsi, the Customs Area Controller, has attributed the success to a combination of leadership direction of the Comptroller General of Customs, blocking areas of revenue leakages and the diligent discharge of functions on the part of Officers and Men of the Command.
“Hitting the ₦1 trillion mark before the middle of the fifth month, according to Dr Olomu, is a confirmation of the Command’s readiness to surpass the total of ₦2.3 trillion that was collected last year before December 2024”.
While commending the Officers of the Command for sustaining the rising tempo of work which he instituted since May 2024 when he assumed office as CAC Apapa Command, the Controller called for increased efforts in ensuring maximum collection, suppression of smuggling through diligent cargo examination and facilitation of lawful trade.
“The CAC also admonished all Officers in the Command to sustain and improve on the act of intelligence sharing, robust interactions, cooperation with sister government agencies and regular stakeholder engagements to achieve more and contribute to the nation’s economic well-being”, the statement said.
Comptroller Olomu said “the policy thrust of the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, which includes deployment of a Unified Customs Management System, also known as B’Odogwu has shown prospects for higher productivity by the Command.”
He said that with the ongoing training of licensed Customs agents and freight forwarders ahead of the full deployment of B’Odogwu, the Command’s chances of surpassing 2024 collection and meeting 2025 target are higher.
“Our award-winning reputation remains unshaken as we intensify efforts to maintain our excellent record as the leading customs command domiciled in the nation’s premier port.
” This recent revenue collection milestone only goes to show we are not resting on our oars. Going by the examples of our CGC, we have resolved not to be complacent’’.
“It’s important we thank our compliant stakeholders for their support in this journey of national service and reiterate that any unlawful behavior that seeks to undermine national economic drive or compromise the country’s security shall be prevented with full sanctions of the law coming down on perpetrators”, Comptroller Olomu said.
Last year, the Command won several awards for revenue collection, including the CGC Award of Excellence, while Comptroller Olomu emerged ‘Best Controller of the Year’ for his exceptional leadership and improving on the command’s capacity to deliver on its mandates at the Comptroller General of Customs Award night, held in Abuja.
SUMMARY
No doubt, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu is a shining example of what I called CCP (Competent, Capacity and Patriotism). In a statistical summary of the Apapa Customs revenue collection, is on record that in the twelve months of 2024 , Olomu collected N2.3 Trillion and in the first four months of 2025, he has generated N1.002 Trillion, making a total of N3.3Trillion in sixteen months with an average revenue collection of N1Trillion in five months.
FOOTNOTE: Show me any institution or Nigerian at this period of uncertainties that is achieving this feats ?, if not the NCS , in the good hands of CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, with Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi, PhD discharging the functions , competently, effectively and generously.
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