Customs exceed 2024 revenue target, collects N5tn

The Nigeria Customs Service said it has collected N5.079tn revenue as of Tuesday, November 12, 2024, exceeding its revenue target for 2024.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Wednesday at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja.

The conference was themed, ‘Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging traditional and new partners with purpose’

He expressed optimism in the service’s capacity to achieve more for the economy.

“Our strategic engagements and collaborative approaches have yielded remarkable results across our core statutory responsibilities. I am pleased to announce that yesterday November 12, 2024, the NCS hit its 2024 revenue target of N5.07tn collecting N5.079tn with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year,” Adeniyi said.

Adeniyi stated that the exceptional performance projected to exceed the service’s target by 10 per cent validates their partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation.

According to him, the achievement is not merely about numbers, “it demonstrates how enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved processes, and modernized systems can deliver tangible results for the nation’s economy.”

He stressed that the momentum of the NCS’s modernisation initiatives continues to build and yield immediate benefits for the stakeholders.

Speaking on the trade facilitation strides of the service, Adeniyi said that the Authorised Economic Operators now has six beneficiaries in its pilot phase, carefully selected based on stringent compliance criteria.

He added that 31 requests had been processed under an advance ruling program with 12 rulings issued adding that 75 per cent were completed in October following our stakeholder sensitization efforts aimed at fostering quicker customs decision-making on import and export cargoes ahead of their arrival at the ports.

“Additionally, the introduction of 24-hour cargo clearance at major ports has significantly reduced dwell time; the completion of Nigeria’s first Time Release Study now provides us with empirical data to measure and improve our efficiency; our enhanced risk management systems are streamlining operations; and the deployment of non-intrusive inspection equipment is accelerating cargo examination while maintaining robust controls,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NCS’s CG stated that in fulfilling their enforcement mandate, the service has achieved unprecedented success in protecting both the citizens and the economy.

“The scale of our intervention is reflected in seizures valued at N28.1bn and counting in 2024 alone. These seizures span critical areas of national concern from wildlife items and arms and ammunition to narcotics and pharmaceutical products,” Adeniyi stated.

He added that an important moment in the service’s enforcement strategy was the declaration of a state of emergency at major ports, “which led to the interception of 48 containers of illicit pharmaceutical items and narcotics, significantly disrupting the flow of potentially harmful products.”

The CGC vowed that through strategic operations, the service would continue to intercept and seize prohibited items that pose direct threats to public health and safety.

He said that the enforcement activities have been particularly impactful in addressing items that could worsen our current economic challenges.

Adeniyi lauded the service Operation Whirlwind which is a joint initiative with the guidance of the Office of the National Security Adviser and the support of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency to suppress fuel smuggling.

He reiterated that the joint initiative to combat petroleum product smuggling demonstrates how inter-agency cooperation can effectively protect national resources and ensure economic stability.

Adeniyi added that the success of these operations underscores a crucial lesson, “when agencies work together with a shared purpose, we multiply our effectiveness in safeguarding national interests.”

Speaking on the challenges, Adeniyi lamented that the service has continued to grapple with widespread non-compliance among the larger population of traders who, though numerous, contribute relatively smaller portions to the trade volumes, values, and revenue.

Adeniyi admitted that the external challenges have required the service to intensify stakeholder engagement and compliance initiatives.

He emphasised that a significant internal challenge the NSC must address transparently is the unprecedented rate of leadership transitions within the service.

“The statistics tell a compelling story. We saw 60 per cent of our management team exit in 2022, 36 per cent in 2023, and this year, we will experience a 76 per cent change in our management composition,” the CGC stated.

With projections indicating another 40 per cent of our management staff retiring in 2024, we recognise the urgent need for strategic intervention,” he continued.

In tackling some of these challenges, the NCS boss highlighted that the service has launched an ambitious human resource development plan that addresses both immediate and long-term needs.

Adeniyi stressed that the plan includes accelerated career progression opportunities for deserving officers, ensuring that talent and dedication are appropriately rewarded.

According to him, these initiatives which align with the World Customs Organisation’s focus on youth leadership development, complement, “our comprehensive talent management program that identifies and prepares promising officers for leadership roles, ensuring the service’s continued stability and effectiveness.”

The CGC added that though this period of transition is challenging, presents the service with unique opportunities to reshape the future.

He said that in preparation for the coming year 2025, the service has crafted an ambitious yet attainable goal that builds on its current momentum.

“We aim to dramatically reduce physical inspection rates through enhanced risk management systems, fully deploy our e-customs infrastructure, and expand our AEO program,” he added.

He said that the service will focus on strengthening regional integration through improved border cooperation and deepening stakeholder engagement through regular consultative forums.

Adeniyi stated that as the service reflected on the successes and challenges, “we are increasingly convinced that no single agency can effectively meet today’s customs challenges alone. The intricate nature of international trade, coupled with our internal transformation, demands innovative partnerships and collaborative approaches.”