Customs

Adeniyi rewards Nnadi for commitment, hard work, innovative leadership at Tin Can Customs command.

Funso OLOJO

In a blaze of glory, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, the Area Controller of the Tin Can Island command of the Nigeria Customs Service,stepped out in grandeur to collect two awards last week Friday, November 29th, 2024 during the Comptroller-General of Customs Awards night held at Abuja.

The awards were rewards for his commitment, dedication, hard work and unwavering passion for excellence which have make the Tin Can customs a model command among its peers.

For the first time in the history of the 47 year old Tin Can Customs, the command grossed a whooping sum of N1.2 trillion as at November 2024 which put it in the exclusive league of trillion naira commands.

Also ,the old , dilapidated office building of the command was remodeled into an esthetic beauty with conducive and peaceful ambience for the men and officers of the command.

These two outstanding feats were therefore noticed and recognized by the management team of the Customs Service led by Adewale Adeniyi which patted Nnadi on the back for a job well done.

For winning the ”CGC’s Special Award For Work Place Transformation”, it was in fulfillment of the Adeniyi’s promise to Nnadi when he came to commission the renovated building recently that his (Nnadi)efforts in remodeling the 47- years old Tin Can Customs building will not go unrewarded because the remodelled building is an award- winning edifice.

An elated Nnadi dedicated the awards to Officers and men of the command to whom he ascribed the achievements recorded.

He described the achievements as results of teamwork, commitment, focus, and dedication of all the officers of the command.

He expressed his appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi,for the support given to the command and honour bestowed on him.

He also called for continuous support from all stakeholders

He further described the award as a call for increased commitment and a challenge to sustain and improve on the pace of work at the command .

Comptroller Dera also urged Business men and women at the Tin can island port to take advantage of the Trade modernisation project initiatives of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi to ensure the use of technology at the port, Trade facilitation and paperless port procedures.

The CAC admonished officers of the command to see the awards as a motivation and challenge to work harder.

Customs

Tinubu celebrates Adeniyi on his 59th birthday

–lists his achievements

Funso OLOJO

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined millions of well wishers across the globe to celebrate Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi as he turns 59 years on Sunday, January 19th, 2025.

In his birthday message made available through his Special Adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu lauded the innovative and inspiring leadership of Adeniyi which he noted has impacted greatly on the image and performance of the service.

While listing the achievements of the customs in terms of revenue generation, trade facilitation, automation and digitization of the service, anti- smuggling activities as well as bolstered staff morale under the dexterious guidance of Adeniyi, President Tinubu wished him divine wisdom, robust health, and continued strength as he serves the nation.

“Under his guidance, the agency has witnessed significant progress through the steady digitalisation and automation of its operations, a renewed commitment to professionalism, and an uplift in officers’ morale, enhancing high performance.

“His leadership has enabled the NCS to surpass revenue targets substantially and bolstered trade facilitation, yielding widespread positive effects on the national economy.

“President Tinubu applauds the innovative anti-smuggling strategies initiated by the Customs Chief.

“These strategies encompass equipping the youth with new skills for alternative livelihood opportunities, fostering engagements with traditional institutions, and nurturing a culture of effective communication and mutual respect.

“The President recognises the Comptroller-General’s other notable achievements, including the remarkable seizures of arms and ammunition and the revitalisation of the Comptroller-General’s Annual Conference, which aims to assess and enhance the agency’s operations.

“President Tinubu affirms that Adeniyi’s extensive experience of over 30 years in service and adaptability to change has greatly enriched the Customs Service.

“The President offers prayers for divine wisdom, robust health, and continued strength for Comptroller-General Adeniyi as he serves the nation.

Customs

Onyeka, Tin Can CAC, set to pursue revenue generation aggressively

— vows to surpass 1 trillion naira revenue record

Funso OLOJO

The Area Controller of the Tin Can island command of the Nigeria customs service, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, has set an ambitious goal of meeting and surpassing the one trillion naira revenue mark achieved last year by his predecessor, ACG Dera Nnadi.

It would be recalled that the command was given a revenue target of N1.4 trillion in 2024 while it realized a little about N1.226 trillion ,an unprecedented record that was never achieved in the history of the command.

Meanwhile, Comptroller Onyeka, has vowed to sustain the revenue momentum as he would aggressively pursue revenue collection.

Speaking while playing host to the Executive council of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria(MARAN) which paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Friday, January 17th, 2025, the Customs chief disclosed his strategy to carry out his assignment.

According to him, he would facilitate legitimate trade, ensure 100 percent examination of all imports while he would energise his men and officers to key into his vision.

“I’ll facilitate trade, but it has to be legitimate trade. That’s what I feel I should do in the strict sense.

“You know, I’m coming from the aspect of revenue. So, it is my prayer and my hope to meet my target and surpass it.

“But principally, what I am going to fight is the ability to do this job without examination.

“I have appealed to my officers, whatever it is they have to do, let them see the containers, once we’ve examined them, everything should be on cruise control because if you examine, you’ll now know if it’s supposed to go out or not.

“I’ve involved Customs Intelligence Unit, CIU, I’ve involved Valuation Unit, I’ve spoken to all relevant Units and it’s my prayer, by the grace of God, that all of us will be on the same page to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is brought to fruition” he noted.

He was full of gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi , for the confidence reposed in him and vowed never to disappoint him.

“I also appreciate the fact that our indefatigable Comptroller General Of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to whom I’m very grateful.

“He needs to be made to know that he didn’t make any mistake for him to have brought me here.

“I am very grateful to him and his management team, and I need to make him proud” he enthused.

Comptroller Onyeka also vowed to build on the foundation that has been laid by his predecessor, Assistant Comptroller General Dera Nnadi.

“In anti-smuggling, he did well. In revenue generation, he did superbly well, same goes for infrastructure development.

“His Public Relations was top-notch, which I’m going to leverage.

“He was fortunate to have what I consider a very fantastic rapport with the media because that’s his background. I intend to leverage that. I intend to do better in that aspect” he added.

Earlier, in his address, the President of MARAN, Mr Godfrey Bivbere expressed the willingness of the association to partner with the CAC and the Command to achieve the target ahead of the command.

He reiterated the firm resolution of the association to accord Comptroller Onyeka the same support accorded to his predecessor.

Customs

Pressure mounts on Customs as National Assembly reviews N6.5 trillion 2025 revenue target to N12 trillion.

—– as the service closes 2024 with N6.105 trillion revenue collection

Funso OLOJO

The National Assembly seems to be stretching the capacity of the Nigeria customs service for revenue generation to the limit as it has given the service an unprecedented task of generating a whooping sum of N12 trillion in 2025 into the government coffers.

This amount doubles the N6.5 trillion earlier projected revenue target for the service in 2025.

Apparently cashing in on the blistering revenue- generating performance of the service which surpassed the N5.079 trillion target of 2024 by 20.2 percent, the laws makers made the adjustment to the initial set target for 2025.

The National Assembly’s joint committee on Finance led by its chairmen, Senator Sani Musa and Hon. James Faleke, believed that the projection of N6.5 trillion was conservative and encouraged the NCS to aim higher.

Their decision followed the opinions of members of the joint committee who argued that the customs, based on its past geometric rise in revenue collection over the years, has the capacity to generate more that the projected target for 2025.

“Based on the aggregate opinions expressed by members of this committee, the Comptroller-General of Customs should aim at generating N12 trillion revenue for Nigeria in 2025, almost doubling the N6.5 trillion proposed by Customs itself,” Senator Musa said.

The adjustments were made during budget and revenue projection defence sessions on Tuesday, where Chief Executives from various federal agencies presented their 2024 budgets and 2025 revenue forecasts.

Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Adewale Adeniyi on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 in Abuja, made a public presentation of the performance of the service in 2024.

At the public presentation, Adeniyi gave account of the impressive performance of the service in revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti – smuggling efforts and other capacity – enhancing programmes of the agency in 2024.

According to him, the service collected₦6,105,315,543,489.50 in 2024

which surpassed the revenue target of ₦5,079,069,866,085.50 by ₦1,026,245,677,404.00, representing a 20.2% increase above the target.

Similarly, the service processed imports with a Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value of ₦60.29 trillion in 2024, representing a remarkable 117.4% increase from ₦27.74 trillion in 2023.

” This was achieved through 1,262,988 import transactions, handling a total mass of 15.35 billion kilograms.

“The higher value recorded despite an 8.2% decrease in transaction volume from the previous year’s 1,376,514 transactions indicates a shift towards higher-value goods in our import trade portfolio.”

Equally, the service recorded an impressive trade performance with the total CIF value rising significantly to ₦136.65 trillion in 2024 from ₦42.77 trillion in 2023, marking a 219.5% increase.

“While the number of export transactions remained relatively stable at 38,199 compared to 38,294 in 2023, we witnessed a substantial increase in export volume, processing 12.35 billion kilograms in 2024 compared to 3.70 billion kilograms in 2023.

“This 234% increase in export mass, coupled with the higher value, indicates a robust growth in our export trade and suggests increasing competitiveness of Nigerian products in the international market.

“The total trade value handled by the Service in 2024 amounted to ₦196.94 trillion, compared to ₦70.50 trillion in 2023, representing a 179.3% increase.

” This substantial growth in trade value, achieved with fewer but more valuable transactions, is evident of the increasing sophistication of Nigeria’s international trade and the effectiveness of our trade facilitation measures” the CGC declared.