*Seizes goods worth N8.5bn
03 February 2014, Lagos – The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, collected a total of N833.4 billion revenue in 2013, clearly short of its targeted sum of N1.4 trillion, according to an official document obtained by our correspondent.
The 2013 revenue was N17.5 billion less than N850.9 billion it collected in 2012. The Service explained that the money was collected from duties, fees and levies.
The document also showed that the Service seized goods worth N8.5 billion also in 2013, even as it explained that the seized goods were those that entered into the country through illegal routes.
The Customs said that the value of the impounded goods was N3.1 billion higher than the N4.6 billion worth of goods seized in 2012.
It stated that the seizures were made at the seaports, airports and border posts, adding that it would strengthen the anti-smuggling strategies and ensure that smuggling was reduced to the barest limit.
The Service explained that the cost placed on the seized goods were their market values and the duty that ought to have been paid on them.
On the revenue collected in 2013, it said that N387 billion was collected as cash on import duty, while N68.9 billion came from Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate import duty.
The statement added that it collected N24.4 billion from excise duty, N1.8 billion from fees, N21.4 billion from “CET” special levy and N329.1billion from levies collected on behalf of agencies.
A breakdown of the revenue collected on behalf of agencies showed that port levy accounted for N30.50 billion; sugar levy, N4.8 billion; wheat grain levy, N38.3 billion; and wheat flour, N313.5 million.
Other collected agency fees, according to the document, are: rice levy, N10.3 billion; steel levy, N584.9 million; and wine, N22.1million. Others are: textile, N90.8 million; cement, N830.6 million; cigarette, N913.6 million; and National Automotive Council levy, N13, 505.
It was also said that some special levies, including Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme and National Export Supervision Scheme accounted for N44.1 billion.
The value of the goods was N7.1 billion, while the duty payable on them was N1.4 billion. It stated that rice and vehicles topped the list of the goods in 2012.
*Godwin Oritse – Vanguard
