Customs Facilitates $68.5m Export at Apapa Port, Generates N1.02trn Revenue

Eromosele Abiodun

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa command, yesterday, said it facilitated $68.5 million export and generated N1.02 trillion from cargoes imported into the country via Apapa port from January to December 2022.

Speaking at a press conference to review the activities of the Command in 2022, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), of the Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, said non-oil exports facilitated through the Command was 6.4million metric tonnes worth $68.5million Free Onboard (FOB), value.

According to the Customs’ boss, the 2022 revenue figure was 16.07% higher than N870.38billion collected in 2021.

According to him, “On export trade, in line with the federal government’s diversification of the economy in non-oil export, the command recorded a total of $68.5 million Free onboard value with a naira equivalent of N28.2 billion of non- oil commodities with a total tonnage of 6.4 million Metric tonnes exported through Apapa port.

“Items exported through Apapa Port last year 2022 were steel bars, agricultural produce such hibiscus, sesame seeds, cocoa, cashew nuts, ginger, soya beans, and mineral products.”

He added that collaboration with other agencies of government has greatly enhanced productivity of the command, stating, “record shows that practical involvement of agencies, inter agency collaboration, networking, incidence profiling, information gathering/processing and experience shared has resulted to a lot of interception of life threating import of dangerous drugs and various prohibited items.”

Malanta noted that the year under review was characterised with several challenges in the economic and trade supply chain.

He expressed delight that the command was able to make some laudable achievement using technology-driven initiatives to maximise revenue collection, enforcement of anti-smuggling operations, export promotion and synergy with our noble stakeholders in the industry.

He said a total number of 157 containers with a duty paid value (DPV) of N14.4 billion were seized, as against 102 containers with DPV of N31.8 billion seized in the year 2021

Items seized by the command, he revealed, include; codeine syrup, foreign parboiled rice, vegetable oil, processed/unprocessed wood, used clothing’s, etc, “and 60 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures.”

The comptroller however, applauded compliant importers, urging them to pay accurate duty as well as obey import guidelines.

“I want to specifically commend our compliant traders who do sincere declarations, pay accurate duty and obey extant import and export guidelines without violating the prohibition lists, Apapa Command will continue to create a conducive working environment for you and to protect your investment. 

“The command has promoted a culture of regular stakeholder engagement with bonded terminal operators, importers, exporters, freight forwarders, licensed customs agents, shipping companies, and others. The need for compliance has always been the thrust of our meetings. We continue to sensitize them on the need to comply with extant trade guidelines for faster and cheaper clearance of cargo and to avoid losing their investment and possible prosecution, he said.”

“On this note, I want to specifically commend our compliant traders who do sincere declarations, pay accurate duty and obey extant import and export guidelines without violating the prohibition lists, Apapa Command will continue to create a conducive working environment for you and to protect your investment, “he added.