Apapa Customs Command Collects N1.6tr In Third Quarter Of 2024
By Asuquo Nuwak
…As comptroller Olomu steps up trade facilitation activities
The Apapa Customs Command of Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, has raked in the sum of N1,610,906,781,421.82k as at the end of the third quarter of 2024, which is higher than N1,172,414,793,960.32k that was collected as total revenue of the year 2023.
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, fsi, who described the feat as a fallout of diligence and integrity, also said the command will continually engage with stakeholders to improve on the revenue collection achievements and reduced smuggling recorded to the command’s credit.
He disclosed the N201.8b collected in July 2024 and N193.9b in September 2024 as spectacular figures capable of being replicated again in the last quarter of the year, beginning from October.
Comptroller Olomu said the various trade facilitation programmes put in place by the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, such as Advance Ruling, Time Release Study and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) are being dutifully implemented for the overall benefit of the nation’s economy.
He commended officers of the command for their achievement in revenue collection, while relying on diligent examination and uncompromising interventions through issuance of demand notices, where and when necessary.
The Customs Area Controller, who reiterated the CGC’s zero tolerance for smuggling, also said the command shall continually engage with all stakeholders to sustain the rising level of compliance, which has resulted in reduced smuggling in the area.
Aside from the strict monitoring of cargoes, he said constant profiling of port users, sensitization of stakeholders, in-house training, and retraining of customs officers have jointly contributed to the zero level of smuggling in recent times.
He urged all port users in Apapa to avail themselves of the services of the dispute resolution team to resolve all areas of uncertainty while reassuring licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and haulage operators of the command’s readiness to assist at all times.
The Customs Area Controller, therefore thanked sister government agencies for their support and stated that the command will always leverage on its relationship to share intelligence against criminal elements, while joint examinations in line with extant standard operating procedures (SOPs) will promote compliance at all times.
In the words of Çomptroller Olumu: “Our revenue collection is good, and I know we can do better with more impressive results in the last quarter of 2024. I want to thank our compliant stakeholders for their cooperation in supporting us to achieve this level of collection”.
Similarly, in his words: “Reduced smuggling activities is a testament to affirm the compliance we are celebrating, and I can say the best is yet to come. We are not losing guard. Our tempo of vigilance is airtight, which attests to our capacity to detect smuggling and make seizures”.
He is quoted as saying that: “As we promote trade facilitation, our anti smuggling activities are done side by side leveraging on our non intrusive technology for cargo scanning and physical examination when necessary. Let me also state that these standards and procedures are strictly adhered to in all bonded terminals under our control”.
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