… As Tinubu commends Customs for remarkable progress in revenue collection
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, on Wednesday, announced a revenue collection of N5.07 trillion revenue between January and November 12, 2024.
The Service also recorded seizures worth NGN 28.1 billion as at November 12.
This was announced by the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during an annual conference of the Service in Abuja.
The amount shows that the Service has already met its 2024 revenue target about 49 days before the end of the year.
Adeniyi said at the conference, “I am pleased to announce that yesterday 12 November 2024, at exactly 13:10 Hrs, the Nigeria Customs Service hit its 2024 revenue target of NGN 5.07 trillion, collecting NGN 5,079,455,088,194.38 with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year.
“This exceptional performance – projected to exceed our target by 10% – validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation.
“These strategic engagements and collaborative approaches have yielded remarkable results across our core statutory responsibilities.
“The achievement is not merely about numbers; it demonstrates how enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved processes, and modernized systems can deliver tangible results for our nation’s economy.
“Our commitment to trade facilitation has garnered significant recognition and yielded measurable results. The Service’s leap of 33 places upward in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC rankings, placing us among the top five agencies in trade facilitation, reflects the impact of our reform initiatives.
“This improvement goes beyond metrics – it represents real changes in how we facilitate trade across borders. We have expanded our focus beyond traditional import operations to actively support exporters and nurture small and medium scale enterprises.”
Adeniyi recalled that last year, when a similar conference was held in Lagos, the Service had pledged to modernize “processes through a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, revolutionizing our ICT infrastructure, streamlining examination procedures, and embracing automation for enhanced efficiency”.
He added, “We committed to reimagining our free trade zone operations, elevating cargo integrity standards, and expanding our scanning capabilities. Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations – one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaboration with our partners”.
The Customs boss said that the “successful implementation of these measures, and indeed their expansion beyond our initial commitments, has been possible through a powerful coalition of support: the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.”
He continued, “The strategic guidance of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Chairman of the Nigeria Customs Service Board, Mr. Wale Edun; the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service Management team and our dedicated officers and men; and the constructive engagement of our stakeholders, many of whom are here today.
“Together, we have created a more business-friendly trading environment that aligns with President Tinubu’s economic transformation agenda while strengthening our capacity to protect Nigerian citizens from illicit trade.
“In pursuing these objectives, we expanded the frontiers of our engagement both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders. This past year has seen us not only consolidating existing partnerships but also forging new alliances crucial to our mission. We have deliberately repositioned the Nigeria Customs Service brand, emphasizing our commitment to trade facilitation and demonstrating a more nuanced application of our authority in executing our statutory responsibilities.
“Through extensive stakeholder enlightenment programs, we have opened windows into our operations, fostering better understanding of our procedures and requirements. This renewed approach to partnership has led to the strengthening of existing agreements and the establishment of new ones, all aimed at creating a more collaborative and efficient trading environment.
“These strategic engagements and collaborative approaches have yielded remarkable results across our core statutory responsibilities.”
On recorded seizures, Adeniyi said the Service achieved unprecedented success in protecting both the citizens and economy.
“The scale of our intervention is reflected in seizures valued at NGN28.1 billion 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.
“An important moment in our enforcement strategy was the declaration of a state of emergency at our major ports, which led to the interception of 48 containers of illicit pharmaceutical items and narcotics, significantly disrupting the flow of potentially harmful products.
“Through strategic operations, we continue to intercept and seize prohibited items that pose direct threats to public health and safety. Our enforcement activities have been particularly impactful in addressing items that could worsen our current economic challenges.
“A standout example is Operation Whirlwind, launched in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA. This joint initiative to combat petroleum product smuggling demonstrates how inter-agency cooperation can effectively protect our national resources and economic stability.
“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.
“In the spirit of transparency, we must acknowledge the challenges that have tested our resolve this year. A primary concern has been the misconception of our role amid monetary policy changes, where some stakeholders viewed our actions as trade-restrictive rather than recognizing our enhanced commitment to trade facilitation.
“Additionally, we continue to grapple with widespread noncompliance among the larger population of traders who, though numerous, contribute relatively smaller portions to our trade volumes, values, and revenue. These external challenges have required us to intensify our stakeholder engagement and compliance initiatives.
“A significant internal challenge we must address transparently is the unprecedented rate of leadership transitions within our Service. The statistics tell a compelling story: we saw 60% of our management team exit in 2022, 36% in 2023, and this year, we will experience a 76% change in our management composition. With projections indicating another 40% of our management staff retiring in 2024, we recognize the urgent need for strategic intervention.
“In response, we have launched an ambitious Human Resource Development Plan that addresses both immediate and long-term needs. This includes accelerated career progression opportunities for deserving officers, ensuring that talent and dedication are appropriately rewarded. Most significantly, we are making a historic investment in human capital infrastructure through the establishment of a Customs University – a testament to our commitment to building a knowledge driven service.
“These initiatives, aligned with the World Customs Organization’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.
“This period of transition, while challenging, presents us with unique opportunities to reshape our future. Looking ahead to 2025, we have crafted ambitious yet attainable goals that build on our current momentum. We aim to dramatically reduce physical inspection rates through enhanced risk management systems, fully deploy our e-customs infrastructure, and expand our Authorized Economic Operator program. Our focus extends to strengthening regional integration through improved border cooperation and deepening stakeholder engagement through regular consultative forums.
“These objectives are not just operational targets; they are our vision for a modern customs administration that effectively balances trade facilitation, revenue collection, and security. The achievement of these goals, particularly during this period of leadership transition, will require even stronger partnerships with all stakeholders – from government agencies to private sector operators.”
In his speech, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu said that his administration is committed to foundational reforms with expanded focus to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global trade and investment.
“Through strategic initiatives, we are enhancing trade facilitation, modernizing our port infrastructure, and streamlining business processes to reduce barriers to trade.
Tinubu added, “ Our commitment to creating an enabling business environment has resonated with the international investment community. The confidence in our economy is reflected in the significant surge in foreign direct investments, which has exceeded $30 billion in the past year. This achievement demonstrates that our policies are yielding positive results, making Nigeria increasingly attractive for both domestic and international investors. More importantly, these improvements are creating new opportunities for Nigerian businesses to participate more actively in global trade.
“Central to the success of these economic initiatives is the role of our strategic institutions and their dedicated personnel. Our vision required government agencies to be proactive in aligning their statutory responsibilities with the broader national economic objectives. Agencies needed to demonstrate initiative in identifying opportunities within their mandates that would best serve and advance our national aspirations.
“I am pleased to note that the Nigeria Customs Service is one of the agencies that has risen to this expectation, demonstrating how government institutions can effectively contribute to our economic transformation agenda while fulfilling their core mandates.
“This alignment is clearly demonstrated in the Service’s comprehensive modernization agenda. In responding to our administration’s call for enhanced trade facilitation and economic growth, the Service has introduced significant reforms including the Advanced Ruling system and the Authorized Economic Operator Program. These initiatives, which align with global best practices, show how agencies can innovatively implement solutions that advance our national economic objectives while meeting international standards. Such reforms not only enhance trade facilitation but also create a more predictable business environment that supports our broader economic goals.
“The results of these initiatives across the Service’s core mandates have been encouraging. The Nigeria Customs Service has shown remarkable progress in revenue generation, enhancing the government’s capacity to fund critical national development projects. Through strategic reforms, the Service is strengthening Nigeria’s position as a trade-friendly nation, particularly in the areas of export promotion and port efficiency. This has contributed significantly to our improved global ranking in the ease of doing business.
“The Service has also demonstrated that effective trade facilitation can coexist with strong regulatory compliance, as evidenced by its enhanced border security and anti-smuggling operations. These achievements affirm our administration’s belief that public institutions, when properly aligned with national objectives, can effectively drive transformative change.”
Credit: Francis Ugwoke.
Photo: (L-R): Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs.
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