By Andrew Utulu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area 1 Command, otherwise known as Apapa Premier Port, has said that ahead of completing the first half of 2025, it has hit ₦1 trillion revenue collection.
The Command added that this was a landmark achievement in the history of the Service.
The Command’s revenue collection table showed a total of₦1,002,968,178,694.07
This, according to SC Tunde Ayagbalo, Customs Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command was coming more than 45 days ahead of the command’s first half report of activities.
Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, attributed the success to a combination of leadership direction of the Comptroller General of Customs, blocking areas of revenue leakages and the diligent discharge of functions on the part of Officers and men in the area.
Hitting the ₦1 trillion mark before the middle of the fifth month, according to Dr Olomu, is a confirmation of the Command’s readiness to surpass the total of ₦2.3 trillion that was collected last year before December 2024.
While commending the Officers of the Command for sustaining the rising tempo of work which he instituted since May 2024 when he assumed office as CAC Apapa Command, the Controller called for increased efforts in ensuring maximum collection, suppression of smuggling through diligent cargo examination and facilitation of lawful trade.
The CAC also admonished all Officers in the Command to sustain and improve on the act of intelligence sharing, robust interactions, cooperation with sister government agencies and regular stakeholder engagements to achieve more and contribute to the nation’s economic well-being.
Comptroller Olomu said the policy thrust of the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, which includes deployment of a Unified Customs Management System, also known as B’Odogwu has shown prospects for higher productivity by the Command.
He said that with the ongoing training of licensed Customs agents and freight forwarders ahead of the full deployment of B’Odogwu, the Command’s chances of surpassing 2024 collection and meeting 2025 target are higher.
“Our award-winning reputation remains unshaken as we intensify efforts to maintain our excellent record as the leading customs command domiciled in the nation’s premier port.
” This recent revenue collection milestone only goes to show we are not resting on our oars. Going by the examples of our CGC, we have resolved not to be complacent’’.
“It’s important we thank our compliant stakeholders for their support in this journey of national service and reiterate that any unlawful behavior that seeks to undermine national economic drive or compromise the country’s security shall be prevented with full sanctions of the law coming down on perpetrators”, Comptroller Olomu said.
Last year, the Command won several awards for revenue collection, including the CGC Award of Excellence, while Comptroller Olomu emerged ‘Best Controller of the Year’ for his exceptional leadership and improving on the command’s capacity to deliver on its mandates at the Comptroller General of Customs Award night, held in Abuja.
