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Customs

Apapa Customs shuts three bonded terminals over unwholesome practices, collects N1. 378 trillion revenue in six months 

Funso OLOJO / Gloria Odion 

The Apapa port command of the Nigeria customs service has collected the sum of N1.378 trillion revenue in the first half of 2025.
The revenue  represents a 35 percent increase above the N1.023 trillion collected within the same period in 2024, marking a N354 billion increase in revenue collection.
Making this declaration on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, said the half year of 2025 has been outstanding in revenue collection, trade facilitation, enhanced stakeholder engagement, deployment of technology, improvement in compliance, and uncompromising discipline.
“We surpassed our collection trajectory and revenue target, achieving laudable milestones, including the issuance of the first Single Goods Declaration (SGD) using the BODE platform on the 9th of May 2025.
“This marks a significant shift towards faster and more reliable cargo handling. We have deployed a robust platform that facilitates trade and ensures timely clearance of cargo, addressing challenges such as poor network connectivity, delays, and congestion associated with the former system” Olomu declared.
Meanwhile, Comptroller Olomu disclosed that three bonded terminals within the control of the command has been sealed for various infractions on the terms and conditions of their license.
He said one of them has even been charged to court.
Sources however whispered to our reporter that the affected terminals may have compromised on revenue returns to the command and been complicit in smuggling activities.
Olumu further declared that nine  containers comprising unregistered pharmaceuticals, used clothing, expired margarine, wild animals’ skin, and codeine syrup were seized by the command  during the period under review.
“These form part of the twenty-seven 27 containers seized between January and June 2025, with a duty paid value (DPV) of N9,267,443,966.00.
“The seizures include 10 containers of unregistered pharmaceuticals, two containers of codeine syrup, two containers of stolen vehicles, four containers of second-hand clothing and other sundry items.
“These seizures are part of our efforts to prevent Nigerians from consuming unwholesome foods and drugs, stop illicit trade, and protect our local industries. As a standard, we will not compromise the safety of Nigerians on the altar of trade facilitation.
“Prominent on the list of the 28 seizures made by the command during the period under review are unregistered pharmaceuticals, controlled drugs, used clothing, codeine syrup, wild animals’ skin, and other sundry items.
“It is pertinent to note that trafficking of wild animals contravene the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which Nigeria is a signatory to.
“Additionally, on the detention list is a container of matches imported without the required End User Certificate (EUC) as provided for in our extant laws.
Very recently, under the guidance of the CGC, we opened discussions with officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and other stakeholders from various associations on developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the movement of goods by rail from Apapa Port to other states.
These talks have shown great prospects for success, with pledges of support and anticipation for robust participation by all concerned. This effort to revive cargo movement by rail aims to decongest the port, reduce pressure on Apapa roads, and provide a viable and cost-effective cargo movement option for importers, exporters, freight forwarding practitioners, haulage operators, and licensed customs agents.
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Customs

Customs seeks to shorten goods clearance time to 48 hours under its One- Stop- Shop initiative 

– Apapa, Tin Can, Onne as pilot commands
Funso OLOJO 
The Nigeria Customs Service has initiated a process that will streamline its cargo clearance procedures at the ports that will ultimately reduce the clearance time from the present 21 days period to just 48 hours.
This initiative, dubbed One- Stop- Shop(OSS), was flagged off on Thursday, September 23rd, 2025, seeks to collapse all the customs units involved in cargo clearance procedures into one unified platform to carry out examination on a flagged declaration in a bid to eliminate duplication and minimize delays.
Addressing the gathering of Area controllers of Customs in Abuja on the novel initiative, the Comptroller- General of Customs,  Adewale Adeniyi described the OSS as a “transformative shift” in line with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.
He stressed that the reform is designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts, and ensure predictability in Customs procedures.
“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make our operations more business-friendly,” the CGC said.
While acknowledging the role of technology in Customs operations, Adeniyi emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.
“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence coming together under one roof adds weight and value to our deliberations.
“Meetings like this strengthen our unity of purpose and ensure we speak with one voice,” he noted.
Under the OSS framework, all Customs Units will work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.
Consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, a move aimed at reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.
The Abuja meeting also provided a platform to review the Service’s accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction.
Adeniyi assured the Customs Area Controllers that the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide, adding that the initiative is fully supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he concluded.
Following several responses and interventions on the OSS Initiative, the Customs Area Controllers pledged their full support, describing it as timely and necessary to reposition the Service for efficiency.
They assured the CGC of their readiness to drive the reform at their respective commands and to work in synergy toward achieving the 48-hour clearance target.
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Customs

Customs exempts raw materials, machineries, parts,  project cargo, humanitarian aids,aircraft parts from 4 percent FOB charge 

Funso OLOJO
In a rare gesture of magnanimity and desire to stimulate the economy, the Nigeria Customs Service has granted concessions to manufacturers who engage in importation of raw materials, machineries and their parts, government projects and humanitarian aids.
This category of manufacturers will be exempted from paying the controversial 4 percent Free-on- Board (FOB)charge.
Included in the concession are commercial aircraft parts, beneficiaries of the presidential initiative for unlocking healthcare value chain.
These measures were the fall- out of a long- drawn consultation and engagement between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria( MAN) held in Lagos on Friday, September 26th, 2025.
The  Comptroller- General of Customs,  Adewale Adeniyi, led a team of high- powered Customs High command to the National Secretariat of MAN whose team was led by the President of the association, Otunba Francis Meshioye.
Reading the agreement signed by Adeniyi on behalf of the NCS and Otunba Francis Meshioye of MAN, the CGC disclosed that the special concession on the select manufacturers was made by the Customs in consultation with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun.
Giving the details of the exemptions, Adeniyi clarified that the concession was meant for the category of manufacturers who engage in the importation of the exempted cargoes.
“Nigeria Customs Service announced that following consultation with the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, approval has been granted for strategic exemptions from the 4% FOB charges on the following, among others:
“Importation of raw materials, spares, and machines by the manufacturers who are beneficiaries of concessions contained in Chapters 98 and 99 of the Customs Tariff,
“Manufacturers who are currently on chapters 98 and 99 are advised to apply for pre-release of the consignment to avoid payment of demurrage.
“In addition, members of MAN who import raw materials, machines, and spares that are not currently on chapters 98 and 99 to be onboarded in order to enjoy the exemptions provided in 5(i) above.
“MAN, NCS, and the Federal Ministry of Finance will work together for the inclusion of manufacturers that are currently not on chapters 98 end 99.
“An immediate tripartite consultation of the Federal Ministry of Finance, NCS, and MAN would be held immediately to work out the modalities for expedited onboarding of manufacturers on chapters 98 and 99” Adeniyi explained.
He further disclosed that the 4% FOB payments already made by manufacturers who are yet to be onboarded to chapters 98 and 99 will be held as credit and be utilized for future customs-related transactions after their onboarding.
The CGC further listed the category of the beneficiaries of the special exemption to include government projects with Import Duty Exemptions Certificates, goods imports for Humanitarian, Life Saving and other related purposes and beneficiaries of the Presidential Initiative for unlocking Healthcare value chain as well as commercial airlines’ spare parts.
Adeniyi had disclosed that the recent suspension of the 4 percent FOB by the Ministry of Finance has opened a new vista of opportunity to make wider consultations and engagements with relevant stakeholders such as MAN, the outcome of which he said were the special exemption granted some category of manufacturers.
The concession has addressed the concerns of the manufacturers in the areas of the increasing cost of production which the 4 percent FOB will engender.
MAN through its President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, has also raised concerns on multiple checkpoints as threat to trade facilitation, multiple alerts in the clearance system and the B’Odogwu platform glitches.
However, the Customs helmsman said the service has developed robust policies that would engender seamless clearance procedures at the port.
“The Nigeria Customs briefed MAN on the various trade facilitation initiatives undertaken by the Service.
 “This includes the Economic Operator Programme (AEO), Advance Ruling, and Time Release Study.
“NCS, during the dialogue, expressed strong commitment to balancing its revenue generation mandate with innovative trade facilitation measures” the CGC assured.
” Beyond existing exemptions, discussions focused on additional trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Nigeria Customs Service to support manufacturing operations.
“These include the development of one-stop shop frameworks designed to streamline regulatory processes and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, systematic reduction of unnecessary checkpoints that add costs without corresponding value, and integration of digital solutions to accelerate legitimate trade processing as well as maintain security standards.
 “The Service also outlined initiatives aimed at providing real-time clearance capabilities and automated risk assessment systems that reduce compliance costs for legitimate operators” Adeniyi concluded.
However, both parties agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement and pledge to sustain the consultation for the mutual benefits of the two parties and the Nigeria’s economy in general.
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Customs

Customs, MAN meet to resolve bottlenecks in clearing procedures at ports.

Funso OLOJO 
The Nigeria Customs Service has met with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) to deliberate on the areas of friction and bottlenecks in the clearing process at the port with the aim of resolving them.
The two parties met on Friday, September 26th, 2025 when the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye played host to the Customs High command led by the Comptroller- General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the association’ s office in Ikeja, Lagos.
Otunba Meshioye had complained of the soffocating atmosphere created for his members by the re- introduction of the 4 percent Free-on- Board (FOB) on imports as well as what he described as the teething problems thrown up by the newly introduced indigenous customs trade portal, B’Odogwu.
He said that the purpose of engaging with the customs is to ensure these problems are resolved amicably to enable the manufacturers have seamless customs procedures at the port.
In his response, the Customs CG said the service recognized the importance of  manufacturing sector as the backbone of Nigeria’s industrial development, adding that the success of that sector directly connects to  the nation’s nation’s prosperity.
Adeniyi said the recent developments, particularly that of the Ministry of Finance directive, regarding the suspension of the 4% FOB charge, have opened pathways for deeper dialogue between the two institutions.
” While this charge exists as a legal provision under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, effective implementation requires genuine consultations, like the ones we’re having today, with those that it impacts most directly.
” This process of consultation, therefore, balances fiscal responsibilities with industrial growth imperatives”
” Your voices matter, all our manufacturers, and your experience helps to shape our understanding of how customs procedures can either enable or constrain manufacturing excellence.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has consistently supported manufacturing through concrete initiatives that recognize the strategic importance of industrial competitiveness to our national economic objectives.
“Our support extends to structural trade facilitation improvements” he declared.
The CGC further disclosed that the service has concluded the process of developing a comprehensive framework for establishing one-stop shops that will revolutionize how manufacturers interact with customs and other regulatory agencies.
These initiatives, he noted, aim to eliminate bureaucratic processes that frustrate legitimate business operations as  customs continued to maintain robust security and compliance standards.
Adeniyi recalled some of the policies which the customs have implemented to further make clearing process seamless and less cumbersome
“We have also carried out systematic streamlining of checkpoints along our major highways, reducing unnecessary delays that hurt costs without adding value to revenue generation or our security outcomes” the CGC said.
” Digital transformations lies at the heart of our trade facilitation strategies.
“We have investments in systems like the B’ Odogwu platform that provide real-time clearance capabilities, automated risk assessments, and seamless integration with the supply chain system. Technology should eliminate friction in the supply chain.
“All of these technology initiatives complement our policy frameworks to create comprehensive support for manufacturing sector groups.
 “As we speak here, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have commenced the integration of our B’ Odogwu system into the National Single Window Project, which is expected to come on stream in the first quarter of 2026.” the Customs helmsman declared.
Adeniyi outlined the role of customs which is to facilitate legitimate trade, as well as to continue to protect the nation’s borders and collect appropriate revenues.
He said the role of the manufacturer is to drive industrial production, create employment, and contribute to the  nation’s economic diversifications.
” These roles are complementary, and they require this kind of collaboration that we’re having to achieve optimal outcomes” the CGC concluded.
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