Headlines

Audit report exposes Customs, NNPC under- remittance to Federation account.

Aghughu Adolphus, Auditor-General of Federation

Eyewitness reporter

The 2019 Auditor- General’s Federation Annual Report has shown that the country may have been shortchanged to the tune of N666.15 billion due to the discrepancies observed in the financial books of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Section 85(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended), states that “the Auditor-General shall, within ninety days of receipt of the Accountant-General’s financial statement, submit his reports under this section to each House of the National Assembly and each House shall cause the reports to be considered by a committee of the House of the National Assembly responsible for public accounts”.

In compliance with the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on August 18, 2021, the Auditor-General for the Federation, Aghughu Adolphus, submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly the Annual Report on the Federal Government of Nigeria Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS) for the year ended 31st December 2019.

A review of the Audit report revealed that some of the figures, particularly those of the NNPC and NCS did not tally.

Thus, it may have led to a huge loss of revenue to the government.

On page 50 of its 2019 Annual Reports and Financial Statements, the NNPC-National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) reported that it transferred the sum of N1.27 trillion to the Federation Account

However, in the 2019 Audit report, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) who is the Chief Accounting Officer for the receipts and payments of account of the federation, noted in his records submitted for audit that only N608.71 billion was received as a remittance by NNPC into the Federation Account for 2019.

This shows a difference of N663.90 billion, between the figure NNPC-NAPIMS reported in its audited financial statements and the amount the AGF claimed the NNPC transferred into the Federation Account as remittance for 2019.

Similar discrepancies were noted in the financial books of the Nigeria Customs Service.

As noted in the Auditor’s report, the NCS generated revenue of N841.27 billion in 2019. This exact amount was supposed to be remitted by NCS to the Federation Account.

However, only the sum of N839.02 was remitted to the Federation Account through the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II), indicating that the total money remitted fell short by N2.26 billion.

If the NCS’s N2.26 billion variance is added up with the N663.90 billion shortfall observed in the financial statements of NNPC and AGF’s record, it brings the total figure to N666.15 billion.

As the Auditor General noted in the report, these discrepancies mean a loss of revenue to the government and could lead to difficulty in funding the (2019) budget.

True to the worries expressed by the Auditor-General in the 2019 Audit report, it was actually difficult for the government to fund its 2019 budget as the government resorted to borrowing.

In December 2018, President Buhari presented to a joint session of the National Assembly a proposed budget of N8.83 trillion for the 2019 fiscal year.

In his budget presentation, the President noted that the 2019 budget had a projected deficit of N1.86 trillion which was to be financed by borrowing.

The country’s Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed stated clearly that, “we (the government) intend to fund the 2019 budget through borrowing locally and internationally with a spread of 50:50”, indicating that the government lacked the necessary revenue to fund its budget for that year.

The 2019 budget was not the first the government-financed through borrowed funds.

Prior to this, the government has borrowed both home and abroad to help to finance its budgets and to fund infrastructure projects, the trend which continues till today.

However, if the N666.15 billion arising from the differences in the financial records provided by the NNPC and AGF, as well as that of the NCS had been fully remitted to the Federation Account as the Audit report showed, it could have potentially reduced the amount the government borrowed to fund the 2019 budget by 35.71%.

This could have also reduced the country’s debt burden which currently stands at N35 trillion and is projected to rise to the tune of at least N41 trillion before the end of 2022.

While the government continues to devise ways to tackle the problem of revenue shortages that have made it difficult to fund its annual budgets, economic experts advised that the Federal Government should follow the recommendations of the Auditor General by ensuring that the management of the NNPC provide reasons for the discrepancy between what it reported in its NNPC-NAPIMS audited financial statements and the figure reported by the AGF as NNPC-NAPIMS remittance into the Federation Account for 2019.

The same should apply to the management of the NCS.

Related Topics:Customs featured NNPC under remittance

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Headlines

Beyond Lagos: The untold realities of Nigeria’s Eastern corridor seaports

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru

When the World Bank and S&P Global recently released the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), the headlines understandably erupted in celebration.

For Tin Can Island and Apapa to land in the global Top 20 for performance gains is undoubtedly a historic milestone.

Yet, for seasoned maritime analysts and industry stakeholders, a glaring question remains: what about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?

While the satellite data accurately captures a localized turnaround in the Lagos pilotage districts, it simultaneously masks a stark regional imbalance.

The narrative of Nigerian maritime modernization cannot begin and end in Lagos.

To truly turn the tide, the conversation must expand to the Eastern Corridor encompassing Onne Port, Port Harcourt Port, Calabar Port, and Warri Port.

The fundamental issue is that the World Bank’s CPPI relies strictly on automated vessel AIS data tracking.

It registers a win when ship turnaround times shrink at a berth, but it completely shuts out the structural and geographical deficiencies that prevent large vessels from even sailing into Eastern waters in the first place.

Modern deep sea shipping lines require drafts starting at 15 meters.

While multi-billion naira investments and natural depths allow Lagos and the expanding Lekki Deep Sea Port to receive mega-vessels, Calabar Port remains severely hindered by an un-dredged channel hovering around a shallow 6 to 7 meters.

Port Harcourt suffers from similar shallow constraints. Without aggressive, patriotic capital dredging projects, the devils in the details ensure that these regional Ports remain underutilized, regardless of how much digitization is deployed on paper.

It is easy for policymakers to announce massive financial interventions.

Critics are entirely right to point out that the Federal Government’s massive Port modernization plans must yield measurable metrics on the ground, not just political headlines.

However, recent data shows that commercial viability is waiting to be unlocked.

In overall cargo throughput metrics, Onne Port has consistently proven that the Eastern flank possesses massive economic power when given the operational room to breathe.

The roadmap for greenfield developments like the Ibom deep seaport and others exists, but real execution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework will be the ultimate judge of these investments.

The current operational reality forces an unnatural economic bottleneck.

Importers in the South-East and South-South regions frequently clear their goods in Lagos, only to transport them across hundreds of kilometers of volatile highways back to Eastern markets.

This layout drives up logistics expenses, completely wiping out the macro efficiencies celebrated in recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) trade surplus figures.

The next institutional hurdle for the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is the implementation of a unified, cooperative Port development strategy.

This requires more than just launching an electronic call-up system; it demands a deliberate re-alignment of tariff structures that actively incentivizes shipping consortia to divert traffic to regional hubs.

Ultimately, a Port system is only as strong as its weakest link. Celebrating the World Bank validation of Apapa and Tin Can is fair, but treating it as a nationwide victory is premature.

Until the institutional bottlenecks, channel depths, and security challenges of the Eastern Corridor seaports are solved with the same urgency applied to Lagos, Nigeria’s maritime sector will continue running on half its cylinders.

True maritime competitiveness is not won by building an elite logistics island in one state, but by unlocking the full economic potentials of the nation’s entire coastline.

Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja

Features

Beyond Lagos ports: Why NPA should position Eastern ports for global recognition

Chief Nasiru Ibrahim

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru focuses on why government should look beyond Lagos ports and position Eastern ports for global recognition.

Our feature last week on the World Bank Top 20 ranking for Tin Can and Apapa Ports sparked an intense industry debate.

The biggest question raised: What about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?

Dropping tomorrow morning, June 29th, 2026,we go beyond the Lagos headlines to break down the hidden operational realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Ports.

Don’t miss “Beyond Lagos: The Untold Realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Corridor Seaports”

Headlines

NIMASA unveils digital portal to fast track Seafarers’ discharge book processing

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has intensified its digital transformation drive with the launch of an electronic Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal, a platform designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays and automate the application, verification and issuance of Seafarers’ Discharge Books.

The portal was unveiled on Thursday, June 25th, 2026 in Lagos as part of activities commemorating the 2026 Day of the Seafarer, themed “Carrying the World Trade, Carrying the Risk.”

The initiative is expected to improve service delivery, strengthen the integrity of seafarers’ documentation and boost the international competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers through a fully digital certification process.

Speaking at the launch, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the platform as a major milestone in the Agency’s digital transformation agenda.

“As we celebrate the men and women who keep global trade moving, it is imperative that we also provide them with efficient and secure systems that support their professional development.

“The Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal eliminates unnecessary bottlenecks, strengthens the integrity of our certification process and reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to the welfare and global competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers,” Mobereola said.

He explained that the portal provides a seamless end-to-end digital process beginning with the verification of applicants’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) through integration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

After successful authentication, applicants create accounts, verify their email addresses through a One-Time Password (OTP), complete live facial capture for identity confirmation and upload mandatory documents, including their Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates and other required credentials.

According to the Director-General, every application is digitally reviewed by the Agency’s Shipping Master, who either approves compliant submissions or returns rejected applications with clear reasons for correction, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Upon approval of all required documents, applicants can apply for a new, replacement or temporary Seafarer’s Discharge Book, make payment through the integrated online platform and receive an automatically generated unique Seafarer Discharge Book serial number after successful processing.
Mobereola said the fully automated system would significantly reduce processing time, minimise manual intervention and enhance the security, traceability and authenticity of seafarers’ documentation.
“Technology remains central to our vision of building a modern maritime administration that meets international standards.
“This platform is another demonstration of our resolve to deploy innovative solutions that improve regulatory efficiency while delivering better services to Nigerian seafarers and the maritime industry,” he added.
The launch of the portal reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to maritime safety standardisation, digital governance and efficient regulatory service delivery in line with global best practices.