Funso OLOJO, Editor 

For decades, the Idiroko border corridor has existed at the intersection of legitimate commerce and the informal economy, serving simultaneously as a gateway for legitimate trans-border trade and a lucrative passage for smugglers exploiting Nigeria’s long and porous western frontier.

But that business environment appears to be undergoing a gradual transformation.

At the centre of the emerging change is the Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, where the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Afeni, has adopted a more aggressive intelligence-led enforcement strategy aimed at altering the risk-reward equation that has historically sustained illicit commerce along the corridor.

Afeni’s philosophy is relatively straightforward: legitimate trade should be facilitated, but smuggling, drug trafficking and other forms of economic sabotage must become increasingly difficult, expensive and dangerous.

The latest operational scorecard presented by the Command on Thursday, August 13th, 2026 provides an insight into the scale of that campaign.

The Command paraded seizures with a combined Duty Paid Value of N3.574 billion, covering agricultural products, petroleum products, textiles, consumer goods and narcotics.

Among the intercepted items were 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica, 30 bags of foreign sugar, 11,450 litres of PMS in kegs, 1,750 litres of PMS in drums, 30 kegs of diesel, 100 bags of fertilizer and 67 bales of second-hand clothing.

The seizure list also included thousands of pieces of new clothing, drinks, cosmetics, hair accessories, fire extinguishers, purses and other consumer products.

But the significance of the figures does not lie merely in their monetary value. They provide an indication of the variety of commercial activities that the Command is now confronting along the border—and of the extent to which enforcement is beginning to influence the operating environment for both legitimate traders and illicit networks.

The Idiroko corridor has never been simply a Customs enforcement zone. It is a commercial ecosystem connecting communities and businesses on both sides of the Nigeria-Benin frontier.

For legitimate traders, the border provides access to markets, goods and opportunities for cross-border commerce.

For smugglers, however, the same geography presents opportunities to bypass formal import procedures and exploit differences in prices, taxes, restrictions and market demand between the two countries.
That is where Afeni’s intervention becomes significant.

Rather than viewing seizures as isolated enforcement events, the current strategy increasingly appears designed to disrupt the underlying business model of smuggling.

Every intercepted truck, vehicle, petroleum consignment, rice shipment or narcotics parcel represents not only a seizure but a potential interruption of a supply chain.

The objective is to make illegal trade less predictable and less profitable.

Rice and the economics of local production

Foreign parboiled rice remains one of the most visible commodities in the border enforcement equation.

The interception of more than 2,300 bags in the latest operation reinforces the persistent pressure on domestic rice production from illicit imports.

Afeni’s argument is that smuggling should be viewed through the prism of economic protection rather than merely customs prohibition.

When imported rice enters Nigeria outside the approved channels, it competes directly with Nigerian farmers, millers and distributors without necessarily bearing the same regulatory and fiscal obligations.

For a government attempting to strengthen domestic agricultural production, such competition can undermine investment and discourage farmers from expanding production.

The Ogun I campaign therefore places border enforcement within the broader question of Nigeria’s food-security strategy.
In Afeni’s formulation, protecting the border is also protecting the farmer.

The narcotics economy

If rice represents the agricultural dimension of the border challenge, narcotics represent its darker security dimension.

The Command’s interception of 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica in the latest operation is significant, but the larger figure disclosed by Afeni is even more revealing.

From January to date, he said, Ogun I has handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa to the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command.

That figure places narcotics enforcement firmly among the Command’s major operational priorities.

It also demonstrates why border security increasingly requires agencies to work beyond traditional institutional boundaries.

Customs officers may intercept the shipment, but the investigation, drug intelligence and prosecution process require the specialised capabilities of the NDLEA and other security agencies.

The formal handover of the seized narcotics during Thursday’s event therefore symbolised the growing importance of inter-agency collaboration in securing the corridor.

The border as an export gateway

Perhaps one of the less discussed aspects of the Ogun I story is the Command’s export performance.

While considerable attention is naturally attracted by seizures, the Command also recorded 10,110 metric tonnes of exports, with a Free On Board value of N2.594 billion.
White talc, crushed thermal coal and CNG were identified as the principal drivers of the export volume.

That statistic is important because it challenges the perception of Idiroko principally as a route for imported goods.
The corridor is also capable of serving as a platform for Nigerian exports.

This creates a potentially important policy distinction. The objective of effective border management should not be to suppress cross-border commerce; rather, it should be to differentiate legitimate commerce from illicit trade and create an environment where compliant businesses can operate with greater certainty.

For Customs, that means enforcement and trade facilitation must move together.

Revenue from the corridor

The Command’s fiscal contribution also offers another measure of its economic relevance.
In July alone, Ogun I collected N90.066 million from baggage assessments, auctions of perishable items, PMS and other charges.

Although the figure is modest when compared with the revenue generated by Nigeria’s major seaport commands, it illustrates the multiple revenue streams available within the border environment.

More importantly, it demonstrates that the border economy extends beyond the conventional importation of goods.

A new risk calculation for smugglers

The central question surrounding Afeni’s tenure may therefore not be how many seizures the Command records in a particular month.

It may be whether the enforcement campaign is succeeding in changing the underlying calculation made by those who contemplate using the Idiroko corridor for illegal trade.

For years, smuggling has survived because its potential returns could outweigh the risks of interception.

That equation changes when intelligence improves, surveillance becomes more effective, inter-agency coordination becomes stronger and seized goods are followed by investigation and prosecution.

Afeni’s repeated warning that the Command intends to make Ogun I “hostile” to smugglers is therefore more than rhetoric.

It represents an attempt to change the commercial environment in which illicit operators make their decisions.
But legitimate trade must remain protected

There is, however, another side to the equation. Idiroko’s importance cannot be measured only by the volume of contraband intercepted.

Thousands of Nigerians depend on legitimate cross-border commercial activity, while manufacturers, exporters, transporters, farmers and traders require an efficient and predictable border environment.

This makes Afeni’s appeal to the media to distinguish legitimate trade from illicit activity particularly important.

An aggressive enforcement regime that succeeds in deterring smuggling but inadvertently discourages legitimate commerce would produce an incomplete outcome.

The real measure of success would be a corridor where legitimate traders face greater certainty while smugglers face greater uncertainty.

That distinction will be critical to the long-term economic impact of the current enforcement drive.

From border enforcement to economic protection

Afeni’s presentation ultimately places the Ogun I Command at the intersection of three major national priorities: security, economic protection and trade facilitation.

The seizure of foreign rice speaks to agricultural protection.
The interception of narcotics speaks to public safety and national security.

The export figures point towards the untapped commercial potential of the corridor.
The revenue figures demonstrate its fiscal relevance.

Taken together, the figures suggest that what is happening at Ogun I is bigger than a succession of seizure announcements.
It is a contest over the character of the Idiroko border economy itself.

Whether the emerging model can permanently shift the corridor from an environment where illicit commerce flourishes to one where legitimate trans-border trade becomes the dominant business model will depend on the sustainability of enforcement, the efficiency of Customs procedures, infrastructure, inter-agency cooperation and the willingness of border communities to support lawful commerce.

For now, however, Afeni appears determined to push the equation in one direction.
Make legitimate trade easier to identify and protect—and make smuggling increasingly difficult to sustain.

That could ultimately prove to be the most consequential change taking place along the Idiroko corridor.

Funso Olojo, Editor 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has smashed its previous revenue record, collecting a staggering ₦323 billion in July 2026, the highest monthly revenue ever recorded by the Command.

The landmark performance eclipses the Command’s previous record of ₦304 billion achieved in October 2025, further cementing Apapa Customs’ position as the NCS’s revenue powerhouse.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, disclosed the figure on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during the Command’s monthly meeting with Deputy Comptrollers in charge of terminals and Unit Heads.

Oshoba attributed the unprecedented revenue haul to a combination of policy support, operational reforms, improved trade facilitation and stronger compliance by stakeholders.

He particularly commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the NCS management team for driving reforms aimed at modernising customs administration and improving the business environment.

“We recognise and acknowledge the CGC’s devotion and dedication to the modernisation project of the Nigerian Customs Service. The management team has introduced several innovations that have streamlined our activities and given us clear direction,” Oshoba said.

According to him, the reforms are beginning to translate into measurable operational and revenue gains, citing the improved performance of the B’Odogwu customs management system.

Oshoba acknowledged that the digital platform initially encountered operational challenges but said subsequent improvements had significantly enhanced its performance and contributed to the Command’s revenue growth.

He also credited the One-Stop Shop (OSS) initiative with reducing cargo delivery time and creating a more predictable trading environment that encourages legitimate importation.

Another major contributor, he said, was the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) framework, which currently has more than 200 beneficiaries.

The CAC noted that the AEO programme had strengthened trust between Customs and compliant businesses while positively impacting the Command’s revenue profile.

Enforcement drives compliance

Beyond trade facilitation, Oshoba said intelligence-led enforcement remained critical to protecting government revenue.

He disclosed that officers and men of the Command had intensified interventions against false declarations and other infractions while ensuring strict compliance with approved valuation principles.

He stressed that the objective was not merely to increase revenue but to ensure that legitimate trade was protected and government revenue was not lost through deliberate evasion.

Oshoba also linked the improved performance to the more stable foreign exchange environment under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said greater predictability in the forex market had enabled importers and other business operators to plan more effectively, make informed commercial decisions and undertake international trade with increased confidence.

The CAC, however, challenged officers to look beyond routine revenue collection and measure their individual contributions through meaningful interventions.

“In your area of responsibility, you must ask yourself, apart from the normal revenue generated by your unit, what is your own contribution in terms of intervention? What have I added?” he asked.

‘Give stakeholders hope’

Oshoba also placed strong emphasis on trade facilitation and the ease of doing business, urging officers to ensure that legitimate businesses are not unnecessarily frustrated.

He directed officers to resolve disputes promptly where consignments require further scrutiny and ensure that proper documentation and the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) process are deployed appropriately.

On stakeholder relations, he gave officers a simple but pointed directive: “When you interact with stakeholders, let them leave your office with hope rather than despair.”

“As a leader, do not allow anyone who comes to you to depart feeling hopeless or depressed. Give people hope,” he added.

The CAC acknowledged the cooperation of stakeholders and sister government agencies, saying their support had contributed to improved compliance and greater order within the Apapa business environment.

He urged officers to sustain the confidence by maintaining professionalism, respect and collaboration in their dealings with stakeholders.

Sustaining the momentum

Oshoba charged personnel to uphold transparency and discipline while adapting continuously to evolving digital customs processes.

He urged officers to consult more experienced colleagues when necessary, undertake continuous professional development and work smarter to improve productivity.

He also called on Staff Officers to support Deputy Comptrollers in maintaining discipline and building a healthy workplace founded on compassion, empathy, teamwork and concern for the welfare of subordinates.

The CAC further directed the Command to maintain heightened security consciousness, strengthen supervision, intensify in-house training and ensure strict compliance with approved procedures.

While commending officers and compliant stakeholders for the record-breaking performance, Oshoba cautioned that the ₦323 billion milestone should not be treated as an end in itself.

Rather, he described it as a springboard for greater achievements as the year 2026 enters its final months.

The July performance therefore represents not only a new revenue benchmark for Apapa Customs but also a significant test of whether the Command can sustain the momentum through stronger compliance, smarter enforcement and faster cargo clearance in the months ahead.

–generates N19.84bn in 7 months, beats 2025 full-year revenue by N3.9bn

Gloria Odion Maritme reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted a truckload of 1,306 bags of expired noodles, illicit drugs, 310,000 sticks of cigarettes, foreign rice and 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials in a major crackdown on smuggling and cross-border criminality.

The seized consignments, alongside several vehicles and watercraft, have a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N365.16 million, underscoring the intensity of enforcement operations along the Seme border corridor.

The Command also delivered a major revenue performance, generating N19.84 billion between January and July 2026, already surpassing its entire 2025 collection of N15.94 billion by N3.9 billion.

The seven-month collection represents a 24.45 per cent increase over the Command’s 2025 annual performance.

The Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila,who disclosed the seizures while briefing journalists during the display of the seized items, said the enforcement successes were products of intelligence gathering, surveillance, inter-agency cooperation and the vigilance of Customs personnel.

He said the Command would continue to combine aggressive enforcement with trade facilitation to protect the Nigerian economy while ensuring that legitimate businesses operating through the border are not frustrated.

Expired noodles destined for Nigerian market

One of the most disturbing seizures involved 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50kg.

The consignment was intercepted after Customs officers, acting on intelligence, stopped a truck falsely declared to be carrying food items.

Examination of the truck revealed the expired noodles, which had deteriorated and were visibly decomposing.

Preliminary intelligence indicated that the products were allegedly being moved for repackaging and relabelling before being pushed into the Nigerian market.

The interception, according to the Command, prevented potentially hazardous food products from reaching unsuspecting consumers.

The Command stressed that its border enforcement mandate goes beyond revenue protection, noting that Customs operations also serve as a critical line of defence against products capable of endangering public health.

1,268 bags of foreign rice intercepted

Customs officers also intercepted 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, allegedly smuggled into the country through unauthorised routes.

The Command said the illegal importation of rice deprives government of legitimate revenue while undermining domestic agricultural production and investments in Nigeria’s rice value chain.

It warned smugglers and their collaborators that officers would sustain surveillance across identified smuggling routes and flashpoints within the border area.

Cannabis, Tramadol, Tapentadol, Cigarettes Seized

The enforcement operation also yielded significant seizures of illicit drugs and regulated products.

Items intercepted included 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes.

The Command said the seizure had disrupted illicit supply chains and prevented substances capable of fuelling drug abuse and other social vices from entering Nigerian communities.

The seized pharmaceutical products and illicit drugs are to be handed over to the appropriate regulatory and enforcement agencies for further investigation and necessary action.

3,300 explosive cartridges raise security alarm

The seizure of 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials emerged as one of the most significant security breakthroughs recorded by the Command.

The materials were intercepted while being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.

Given the potential security implications of explosives falling into the hands of criminal networks, the Command said the seizure was particularly significant.

It warned that such materials could potentially be diverted for violent criminal activities, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

The explosive materials have been transferred to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force for safe custody and further investigation.

One suspect linked to the seizure has also been transferred to the police unit.

Vehicles, watercraft impounded

The enforcement operations further resulted in the interception of a number of vehicles and watercraft.

They include a used speedboat, used water bike, 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 Toyota RAV4 and 2010 Nissan Versa.

According to the Command, the combined DPV of all the seized items stands at N365,163,709.

The seizures demonstrate the breadth of the Command’s enforcement activities, ranging from prohibited food products and illicit drugs to vehicles, cigarettes and materials with serious national security implications.

Seme Customs beats 2025 revenue in seven months

While intensifying its enforcement operations, the Command has simultaneously recorded a strong revenue performance.

The Command generated N15,941,258,676.01 in 2025, but within the first seven months of 2026, it had already collected N19,840,280,788.50.

The figure represents an increase of N3,899,022,112.49 over the entire 2025 collection.

The Command attributed the revenue growth to improved compliance, stronger engagement with stakeholders, greater operational efficiency and enhanced facilitation of legitimate trade.

The Area Controller said the revenue performance demonstrates that enforcement and trade facilitation are not contradictory, but complementary elements of modern Customs administration.

He said compliant businesses would continue to receive the necessary support to operate in a predictable and efficient border environment, while smugglers would face sustained enforcement pressure.

AfCFTA, border security in focus

The Seme Area Command also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda, particularly through the facilitation of legitimate regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Command said its strategy was to keep legitimate commerce moving while tightening the border against economic saboteurs and transnational criminal networks.

It also acknowledged the contributions of sister security agencies and regulatory bodies to intelligence sharing and joint enforcement operations.

The Command said the illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as appropriate.

It further commended the media for its role in keeping the public informed about Customs operations and promoting transparency and accountability.

The Command warned smugglers operating along the Seme corridor that the border would not provide a sanctuary for economic sabotage, illicit trade or cross-border criminality.