The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, has said collected revenue to the tune of two hundred and sixty four billion, five hundred and thirty six million, two hundred and one thousand, two hundred and ninety three naira, seventy one kobo (N264,536,201,293.71) in the 1st quarter of 2022.
This shows a significant increase of N104billion as against N159billion naira collected in the corresponding months of the year 2021, representing a 65.7% increase in revenue collection.
This was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta in his 1st Quarter press briefing which he said the feat was made possible through his officer’s creativity and leveraging on the service IT platform to ensure all revenue leakages were mitigated.
On Anti-smuggling activities, he said the Command recorded forty six (46) seizures of various items with DPV of N1,142,876,606.00 as against (28) seizures made in the corresponding months of the year 2021.
He said the seizures include unregistered pharmaceuticals such as tramadol and codeine syrup, unprocessed wood, used clothing, footwear, foreign parboiled rice and other sundry items that fall under prohibition list.
What Comptroller Yusuf is saying
He said “Anti-smuggling activities have been a matter of central concern in the command, particularly with the activities of recalcitrant traders who are always looking for ways to undermine our system. The enforcement unit has been strengthened through strict monitoring, enhanced collaboration and sharing of credible intelligence with sister agencies to suppress smuggling activities to its barest minimum”.
On Export, Comptroller Yusuf said, in line with the federal government’s efforts to diversify the economy through non-oil export, the command recorded the exportation of agricultural goods, mineral resources, steel, e.t.c.
He said for the first quarter of the year 2022, statistics from the export report indicate that goods worth N34,072,869,799.00, with Free On Board (FOB) value of $87.992,356.10 were exported as against N30.2 billion, which is equivalent to FOB value of $82.1million US dollars between the months of Jan-Mar 2021.
The Area Controller craved the indulgence of stakeholders to join forces with the Command and ensure that items that are on the import/export prohibition list are strictly adhered to, he also urged them to prepare themselves for the emerging realities of customs examination through Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) regime.
