Gloria Odion, Maritme Reporter

The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has witnessed a change of leadership, with Deputy Comptroller Olisa Alumanah assuming duty as Acting Customs Area Controller, following the elevation of Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila to the rank of Acting Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs.

The leadership transition, which took place on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, marks the end of Kaila’s approximately eight-month tenure at the strategic border command, during which the Command recorded a significant improvement in revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations.

In his farewell address, Kaila described his elevation as a new chapter in his career, expressing profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the management of the Service for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity to serve at a higher level.

Reviewing his stewardship, the outgoing Controller disclosed that the Command generated over ₦27 billion between March and October 2026, compared with ₦8 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

The performance represents an additional ₦19 billion in revenue and an impressive 233 per cent growth, underscoring the significant improvement in the Command’s revenue-generating capacity during his tenure.

Kaila attributed the remarkable performance, alongside the Command’s anti-smuggling successes, to intelligence-driven operations, effective information gathering and sharing, enhanced surveillance and the collective resolve of officers to prevent the border from becoming a haven for economic saboteurs.

He urged officers and men to sustain the culture of discipline, loyalty, integrity, accountability, unity and professionalism, stressing that these values remained essential to the effective discharge of the Service’s statutory responsibilities.

Assuming leadership, Alumanah expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General and the management of the NCS for the confidence placed in him, pledging to consolidate the achievements of his predecessor and take the Command to greater heights.

He commended Kaila for providing purposeful leadership and strengthening the Command’s performance in revenue generation, intelligence collaboration, anti-smuggling operations, discipline and operational stability.

Describing Seme as a strategic component of Nigeria’s border management architecture, the new Acting Controller stressed that sustaining its operational relevance would require purposeful leadership, improved efficiency and stronger partnerships with stakeholders and sister security agencies.

Alumanah outlined seven priority areas that would shape his administration. These include improved revenue collection; facilitation of legitimate trade; discipline, integrity and professional conduct; teamwork and collective responsibility; stronger collaboration with stakeholders and sister security agencies; avoidance of unnecessary problems in the discharge of official duties; and the adoption of modernisation, innovation and global best practices.

He emphasised that the successful implementation of these priorities would depend on the commitment of officers, mutual understanding among stakeholders and effective collaboration with relevant government agencies.

In his remarks, the Head of Benin Customs and Co-Chair of the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, Col. Mekoun Parfait, congratulated Kaila on his elevation, describing his rapid career progression, less than a year after assuming duty at Seme, as evidence of his competence, experience and professionalism.

The ceremony featured tributes to the outgoing Controller for his contributions to the Command and renewed assurances from the incoming Acting Controller to sustain the gains achieved while strengthening inter-agency cooperation and operational efficiency.

Alumanah reaffirmed his commitment to providing disciplined and professional leadership, promoting teamwork and improving service delivery, while ensuring that the Command remains focused on its core mandates of revenue generation, effective border management, suppression of smuggling and facilitation of legitimate trade.

Gloria Odion, Maritme Reporter

The Chairman of the Tin Can Island Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olawale Cole, has congratulated Deputy Comptroller Femi Felix Akanni on his birthday and appointment as Acting Customs Area Controller of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Cole described the twin occasions as significant milestones in Akanni’s personal and professional life, expressing confidence that his wealth of experience, administrative competence and professional commitment would translate into effective leadership at the Command.

He said Akanni’s appointment presented an opportunity to further contribute to the growth of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly in strengthening operational efficiency, facilitating legitimate trade and deepening engagement with critical stakeholders.

The ANLCA chairman expressed optimism that the new Acting Controller would sustain a cordial and productive relationship with licensed customs agents and other port operators, noting that effective collaboration between Customs and the business community was indispensable to efficient port operations.

Cole also congratulated the outgoing Acting Customs Area Controller of KLT, Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Lukman Adigun, on his redeployment to the Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne Port.

He commended Adigun for his contributions during his tenure at KLT, particularly his efforts towards fostering harmonious relationships with stakeholders and members of the licensed customs agents community.

According to Cole, leadership in the maritime sector requires more than the discharge of official responsibilities, as effective stakeholder engagement, mutual understanding and cooperation remain essential to institutional performance and improved service delivery.

He expressed confidence that Adigun would bring his wealth of experience, dedication and professionalism to bear on his new assignment at Onne Port, wishing him greater accomplishments in his career.

Reaffirming ANLCA’s commitment to a constructive partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service, Cole stressed that a harmonious relationship between Customs officers and licensed customs agents was critical to seamless cargo clearance, trade facilitation, revenue generation and the creation of a business-friendly port environment.

He urged stakeholders at both KLT and Onne Port to extend maximum cooperation and support to the respective officers, emphasising that collaboration between public institutions and private-sector operators remained central to the development of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Cole wished Akanni good health, wisdom and a successful tenure as Acting Customs Area Controller of KLT, while expressing confidence in Adigun’s ability to deliver on his new assignment at Onne Port.

—generates ₦1.42trn revenue, records $752.85m export value, highlights anti-money laundering drive

Funso OLOJO, Editor 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) processed 9,195 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs) and 99,839 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) between September and October 2026, while generating a combined revenue of ₦1.42 trillion, underscoring its growing role in trade facilitation, revenue mobilisation and border security.

The figures, which reflect the Service’s operational performance over the two-month period, were disclosed at a joint security press briefing organised at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Speaking at the briefing, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said the performance demonstrated Customs’ sustained commitment to streamlining trade processes through efficient documentation, digital interventions and stronger collaboration with stakeholders across the trade value chain.

A breakdown of the figures showed that the Service processed 2,102 PAARs in September and 7,093 in October, bringing the total to 9,195 within the period.

Similarly, 48,832 SGDs were processed in September, while 51,007 were recorded in October, representing a combined 99,839 declarations.

Revenue collection also maintained an upward trajectory, rising from ₦697.84 billion in September to ₦722.91 billion in October. The two-month collection amounted to ₦1.42 trillion, specifically ₦1,420,751,629,260.44.

The figures highlight the Service’s dual responsibility of facilitating legitimate international trade while strengthening revenue collection through improved compliance, efficient cargo documentation and enhanced operational procedures.

Beyond import processing and revenue generation, the NCS reported significant growth in export trade facilitation, particularly at the Lilypond Export Command.

The Command recorded an export value of $752.85 million in the third quarter of 2026, compared with $586.15 million in the corresponding period of 2025.

The performance represents an increase of approximately 22.14 per cent, pointing to the growing contribution of export activities and the impact of measures introduced to facilitate non-oil exports.

The development reinforces the importance of Customs’ role in supporting Nigeria’s export diversification agenda by improving documentation, reducing procedural bottlenecks and facilitating the movement of locally produced goods to international markets.

On the enforcement front, the Service recorded seizures of prohibited and restricted items with a combined Duty Paid Value exceeding ₦8.1 billion during the period under review.

The interceptions covered several categories of prohibited and restricted goods, including illicit drugs, pharmaceutical products, other prohibited items and petroleum products.

The NCS said it continued to work with relevant regulatory and security agencies to ensure the appropriate handling and disposition of seized items, reinforcing its commitment to protecting the nation’s economic and security interests.

A major highlight of the briefing was the Service’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its capacity to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism through cross-border trade.

The NCS disclosed that it was participating in a four-week World Customs Organisation (WCO) Mentoring Mission inaugurated on October 19, 2026, and scheduled to run until November 13, 2026.

The engagement is designed to strengthen the capacity of Customs officers to identify, investigate and address trade-based money laundering and other illicit financial activities associated with international trade.

As part of the programme, the Service held engagements with six relevant agencies between October 27 and 29, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

The inter-agency engagements are expected to strengthen intelligence sharing, improve institutional coordination and deepen collaboration in tracking suspicious financial transactions linked to cross-border trade.

The Service also highlighted its transition to an electronic currency declaration platform, describing the initiative as part of broader efforts to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring and enhance the detection of illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.

The digital platform is expected to support more effective monitoring of currency movements and reinforce Customs’ contribution to the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism framework.

The Service also highlighted its contribution to environmental protection and the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking.

During the period under review, six live pangolins were rescued in separate operations in Ogun State. Three were intercepted by the Ogun I Area Command, while another three were rescued by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A.

The rescued animals were subsequently handed over to the Green Fingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative for appropriate care and rehabilitation.

The intervention, according to the Service, was in line with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The rescue operations underscore the expanding responsibilities of the NCS beyond conventional revenue collection and anti-smuggling activities to include environmental protection, wildlife conservation and the disruption of illegal international wildlife trade.

Taken together, the two-month performance figures and enforcement interventions illustrate the Service’s expanding operational mandate, encompassing trade facilitation, revenue mobilisation, export promotion, border security, financial crime prevention and environmental protection.