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Customs

MBA Musa: a silent working machine at Tin Can Customs

By Eyewitness Reporter

 

His mien gives him away as a harmless, non-assuming introvert.

But beneath his calm look lies a tough, determined and uncompromising work attitude that has distinguished the Tin Can command of the Nigeria Customs service as one of the biggest revenue baskets of the service.

Musa Baba Abdulahi(MBA), the  Customs Area Comptroller of the Tin Can command, bestrides the command like a gentle giant.

He presides over the command reputed as the second cash cow for the Nigeria Customs Service with unassuming dexterity and clinical efficiency.

Musa is not given to publicity. He hardly grants press interviews.

He loathes calling the press to flaunt his achievements at the command.

He believes that aspect is better handled by his equally versatile  Public Relations Officer,  Uche Ejesieme, who has equally mastered and emulated the work ethics of his boss.

While he leaves the talking to his spokesman, Musa marshals his officers to do the work he was mandated: revenue collection, trade facilitation, discouragement of anti- illicit practices such as importation of contraband and seamless Customs operations.

He believes his works and achievements are enough to publicise him.

So, while his colleagues enjoy generous publicity, Musa daily buries his head in his works, churning out impressive results which have consistently screamed the name of the command to the hearing of his superior officers at Abuja.

His consistent impressive performance at the command has however adequately compensated for his almost anonymity at the unit.

No wonder his no-nonsense boss, Col. Hammed Ali, the Comptroller-General of Customs, seems to have ” forgotten” to redeploy him from the command as the case of other area Comptrollers whom he changes at will.Against the norm of high mortality of the tenures of Area Comptrollers at the Commands, Musa has spent three years two months so far as the helmsman of the Tin Can Command.

And the CGC seems not in a hurry to look in his direction for a change yet except when it is time for his elevation to the next rank.

Whoever knows the practice of the CGC who shuffles his field commanders at the drop of his hat, then the ‘ long’ and running tenure of Musa is a feat “unheard of” under the administration of Col. Ali.

While all other commands, especially the ‘grade A’ commands,  have experienced multiple turnovers of the CACs in the past years, the Tin Can Command has enjoyed relative stability in terms of changes in helmsmen since February 2018 when Musa berthed at the Tin Can Command.

But it would be fallacious to assume that the eagle- eye, highly mobile CGC overlooked or  ‘forgot’ to include Musa in the litany of redeployments that have come to characterise his administration, but it seems Musa is “playing the match according to the match plan” of his coach.

In football, you don’t change a winning team.

At his resumption of office as the CGC in September 2015, Hameed Ali pointedly told his senior officers in Abuja about his unambiguous mission to the Customs.

“I have come to carry out the mandate of Mr. President to reform Customs, to restructure Customs, and to increase the revenue generation.

“I don’t think that is ambiguous. I don’t think that is cumbersome. It is precise and I believe that is what all of you are here to do” the CGC had then said six years ago.

So Musa has stayed this long because he knew and mastered the rules of engagement.

Statistics show why Musa has wormed his way into the heart of his boss, a feat that is almost inconceivable given the deadpan expression the CGC always wears which gives him away as someone who doesn’t indulge in needless emotions.

When he was redeployed from the office of the CGC to Tin Can Command on February 1st, 2018, Musa had a clear understanding of his vision and mission to the command.

“Part of my key mandates includes trade facilitation, driving of seamless ease of doing business, provision of coordinating roles in port operations, and strict maintenance of national security at the ports.

“The Command will continue to maintain lead in revenue generation which remains a core function of the Customs,” he said at his maiden press conference in 2018.

This has therefore been the driving force of MBA since he berthed at the Tin Can command where he has consolidated on revenue generation, trade facilitation, capacity building, and cordial working relationship with other stakeholders through constant engagement that has resulted in seamless operations.
 
In 2018 when he took over, he met N62 billion in the revenue coffers bequeathed to him by his predecessor out of the N354 billion target for that year.
 
But he went on to surpass the revenue projection.
 
In 2019, he brushed aside the N342 billion revenue target with more than N4 billion in excess when the command generated N346.508 billion.
 
Expectedly, the command was greatly challenged in its 2020 revenue drive due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic which affected importations.
 
Ironically, that was the year the command, relying on its track records of revenue successes, confidently raised the N504 billion target given to it by the Customs headquarters to N540 billion, which was about 70 percent higher than the previous year’s.
The command started on a brighter revenue note in 2021 despite the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic when it raked in N112.7 billion within the first three months of the year, a figure that was N21.1 billion higher than the N91.6 billion realised within the same period in 2020.

“The comparative analysis of quarter one revenue collection from 2018 to 2021 are as follows: in 2018, N76,789,721,107.42; in 2019, N78,857,106,168.27; and in 2020, N91,635,998,490.73,” the customs boss said

“This improvement is despite the twin threat to lives and livelihood posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The command has inspired their officers to continue to work hard while observing all the safety measures to achieve the best of performance.

“We kept our lines of communication open and concerted effort was made to ensure that the supply chain is not disrupted,” Musa said of the geometric increase in revenue performance since he took over.

The success of Musa lies in his heavy deployment of technology to track revenue, plug revenue leakages, and reduce excessive physical contacts between officers and the trading public which he believes will minimise corruption.

He also put much emphasis on building human capacity as he believes well-trained and motivated officers will enhance efficient service delivery.

As a result, officers are being trained on a regular basis on some of the core functions of the customs in the areas of classification, risk management, and data management, the areas in which Musa himself is well versed as a Mining Engineer who joined the service as a Cadet Officer in 1990,  and had undergone several trainings in Valuation and Classification, which are the core duties of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Trade facilitation holds as much passion for Musa as revenue generation.

This was why at his resumption of duties in 2018, he reinvigorated the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) which he personally heads, and made his PRO the deputy to sit daily and resolve all issues arising from valuation within six hours.

This was unlike the previous arrangement when the committee sat two times a week.

He also deployed and beefed up the Time Release study tool to determine the actual time required for the release and clearance of goods right from the time the cargo arrives to the physical release from Customs’ control.

Time Release study was a strategic tool that was capable of identifying bottlenecks in the trade value chain and creating an enabling environment for effective and efficient customs operations.

Musa made judicious use of all these tools and methods which create a conducive, customers- friendly environment that facilitate the quick clearance of goods and which in turn boosts his revenue drive.

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Customs

Beer merchants panic over tax stamp policy, seeks solace from Customs

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 
The proposed Tax Stamp policy of the Federal government has expectedly activated panic mode among beer industry leaders who have expressed anxiety of possible escalation in the production and consumer costs if the policy is eventually implemented.
Though, there is an ongoing dialogue between stakeholders and the government to manage the economic impact of the policy, the leaders of the brewing sector had sought more clarification on the policy from the Nigeria customs service when they engaged with the Comptroller- General of the Service, Adewale Adeniyi on Monday, May 11th, 2026.
The brewers have come to discuss the economic impact the proposed policy will have on their brewing business.
At the roundabout discussion, Adewale had emphasised the need for credible data, inclusive consultations and sustained stakeholder engagement in Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal and regulatory reforms.
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‎Speaking during the engagement, CGC Adeniyi stressed that policy decisions affecting strategic sectors of the economy must be guided by verifiable data and a clear understanding of prevailing market realities.
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“‎We need to have a clear understanding of what constitutes illicit trade. Some of these products are legitimately manufactured in Nigeria.
“In other jurisdictions,customs administrations are already engaging in discussions around how such products find their way across borders and into unauthorised markets” the CGC stated.
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‎He further underscored the importance of accuracy and credibility in industry data presented to policymakers, noting that sound policy formulation depends on reliable information.
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‎“One thing we need to understand more clearly is where some of these estimates came from.
“When we are making policy decisions of this nature, the credibility and accuracy of data must never be in doubt,” he added.
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‎Highlighting the Service’s ongoing modernisation efforts, Adeniyi noted that the NCS has continued to introduce reforms aimed at improving trade facilitation and enhancing operational efficiency across the supply chain.
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‎“We have consistently introduced initiatives aimed at facilitating trade. We introduced the Advance Ruling. We introduced the Authorised Economic Operator programme.
“We also rolled out several reforms on our own initiative, not because we were under pressure, but because we recognised the need to improve trade facilitation,” he said.
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‎On the proposed tax stamp initiative, the CGC clarified that consultations with stakeholders are still ongoing and that no final decision has been reached regarding implementation.
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‎“As far as I am concerned, consultations are still ongoing. If this initiative is legitimate and beneficial, then we all have a responsibility to ensure that we are heading in the right direction,” he stated.
‎He also encouraged private-sector operators to maintain constructive engagement with relevant government agencies to ensure that any eventual policy framework balances revenue protection with industrial sustainability and economic growth.
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‎Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Girish Sharma, said the visit was aimed at presenting the industry’s position on the proposed tax stamp framework, which he noted has generated considerable discussion within the sector.
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‎Sharma acknowledged the importance of regulatory controls but maintained that the beer industry remains one of the most structured and highly regulated sectors in Nigeria, with limited exposure to counterfeiting risks.
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‎“We fully understand the purpose and importance of tax stamps, particularly in industries where counterfeiting is a major concern.
“However, within the beer sector, counterfeiting is minimal,” Sharma said.
‎He noted that existing compliance and monitoring systems already provide adequate visibility across production and distribution channels.
‎“From an end-to-end compliance perspective, we believe there is already sufficient transparency and oversight,” he added.
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‎Sharma also highlighted the industry’s contribution to employment generation, government revenue and economic growth, cautioning that additional regulatory measures should be carefully designed to avoid unintended impacts on the sector and the wider economy.
The 2026 tax stamp policy in Nigeria is a regulatory, security-focused, and mandatory track-and-trace system imposed by the government on excisable goods—including alcohol, tobacco, and sugar-sweetened beverages—to curb illicit trade and bolster revenue.
The policy, aimed at reducing smuggling and counterfeiting, requires high-security physical labels or digital codes to be affixed to products.
The policy applies to excisable products such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks, with specialized stamps for textile imports, such as the Red vs. Green stamps.
 Manufacturers must ensure compliance. Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, compliance is required, and failure to stamp documents within 30 days can lead to severe penalties, including a 10% penalty fee plus interest.
While the government aims to enhance revenue, manufacturers, particularly in the brewing sector, have raised concerns that the policy could significantly diminish profitability and increase consumer prices, with potential to create 100% loss in profits if implemented as proposed.
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Customs

At UNILORIN conference, Adeniyi advocates for human- driven technology for balanced developmental efforts

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 
‎
‎The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to responsible digital transformation and innovation driven governance during his keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia.
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‎The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” was held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium.
The event attracted academics, communication experts, technology professionals, researchers, policymakers, and heads of government agencies to deliberate on the growing influence of digital innovation and artificial intelligence on governance, education, trade, and economic development.
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‎In his address, CGC Adeniyi stressed the importance of balancing technological advancement with human responsibility, noting that the future of the digital economy depends not only on artificial intelligence but also on ethics, leadership, and institutional capacity.
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‎“The digital age is, in the end, a human story, and the real test of our generation is not how powerful our machines become, but how wisely our societies choose to use them,” Adeniyi stated.
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‎He observed that disruptive technologies such as digital payments, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart systems have already reshaped global operations, adding that the world is no longer preparing for disruption but actively functioning within it.
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‎According to him, government institutions must ensure that technological innovation strengthens transparency, public trust, and operational efficiency without compromising accountability.
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‎Drawing from the Nigeria Customs Service’s experience, the CGC highlighted ongoing digital transformation initiatives, particularly the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, which has significantly improved trade facilitation, cargo processing, and inter-agency collaboration.
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‎He disclosed that the platform generated over N230 billion at the PTML Command within its first eight months of deployment, while cargo clearance timelines for compliant traders have been reduced to less than eight hours.
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‎“The partnership, not the rivalry, between human and artificial intelligence is where the real value lies,” he said, adding that technology delivers optimal results when guided by strong institutional values and ethical standards.
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‎Adeniyi further noted that although artificial intelligence enhances efficiency, risk management, and decision-making, human expertise and leadership remain indispensable to effective governance and enforcement.
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‎“Technology changes processes  leadership and expertise still deliver the results,” he added.
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‎The CGC also called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and public agencies to develop practical solutions to emerging digital and governance challenges.
He urged academic institutions to move beyond theoretical learning and play a more active role in innovation and policy development.
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‎He identified areas where academia can support Customs modernisation efforts, including digital compliance systems, AI-driven risk management, public trust communication strategies, and the governance of cross border data flows.
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‎Adeniyi further advocated for the development of digital governance frameworks tailored to African realities, legal systems, and developmental priorities, emphasising that technological advancement must remain accountable to the people it serves.
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‎On the sidelines of the conference,the CGC engaged with heads of government agencies, scholars, communication professionals, traditional rulers, and institutional leaders on opportunities for collaboration in digital innovation, research, community development, and capacity building.
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Customs

Oshoba, Apapa Customs boss, charges officers on discipline, revenue, trade facilitation

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has charged officers and men of the Command to intensify revenue generation, strengthen anti-smuggling operations and uphold professionalism and discipline in the discharge of their duties.

Comptroller Oshoba gave the charge during the Command’s monthly parade held on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, at the Command headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.

The Area Controller emphasized the need for greater operational interventions across terminals to block revenue leakages while ensuring seamless trade facilitation and timely cargo clearance.

“Officers must protect the reputation of the Service. That is why any delay by any officer concerning any consignment will not be tolerated.

“Even at the gates. If a consignment is duly exited, there should be no delay at the gates,” he stated.

He also urged officers to remain accessible and professional in their dealings with stakeholders.

“You must make yourself accessible to our stakeholders and we must avoid actions capable of tarnishing the good image of the Service and the good work being done by the CGC and members of his management.

“We should not be seen as slugs in the wheels of progress,” Oshoba added.

The CAC further called for heightened vigilance against smuggling activities, especially illicit drugs and prohibited items, while warning officers against misconduct and improper dressing.

Highlight of the parade was the recognition of outstanding Officers and Units for exemplary service.

Assistant Comptroller of Customs Ismail Mohammed emerged as the Most Outstanding Officer of the Month, while CSC Augustine Ondoma, ASCI Bukola Olaleye and IC Olalekan Salawu were recognized for professionalism, innovation and punctuality respectively.

Similarly, officers of APM Terminal received the Excellence Award on Enforcement, while Officers of ECO SUPPORT Terminal received the Excellence Award on Revenue Generation.

Comptroller Oshoba explained that the award initiative was introduced to encourage hard work, excellence, professionalism and healthy competition among Officers and Units of the Command.

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