Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has announced the collection N2.74 trillion between January and February 2024 against its targeted revenue of N2.54rillion indicating an increase of 8 percent.
In a mid-year report released by the agency, the collection for H1 of 2024 surpassed that of H1 20244by 127 percent as a total of N1.395trillion was collected between January and February of last year.
According to the report, the electronic auction platform introduced by the. Service generated about N1.34 billionand the 90-day duty payment window for uncustomed vehicles, adding N4.37 billion to the revenue.
Part of the report reads: “Key initiatives contributing to this success include the e-auction platform, which generated over N1.34 billion. These measures have significantly enhanced transparency, compliance, and efficiency in customs processes, underscoring the NCS’s commitment to excellence.
“The Service intensified its anti-smuggling operations in the first half of 2024, resulting in notable achievements. From January to June 2024, the NCS made 2,442 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of NGN 25,520,652,942.87, which is 203% higher than the DPV of seizures in the first half of 2023. In the second quarter of 2024, the NCS made 1,334 seizures with a DPV of NGN 17,564,384,378, representing a 121% increase over the first quarter of 2024. The top items seized include wildlife items, vehicles, arms and ammunition, foreign rice, pharmaceuticals, and narcotics, with 32 suspects in custody.
‘Trade facilitation remains a core priority for the NCS. In the first half of 2024, the Service processed 620,467 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs), reflecting a reduction of approximately 39% compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this decline, the NCS has implemented several key initiatives to simplify and expedite customs processes. These include reinforcement of NCS automation procedures, capacity-building programs for officers, and public-private partnerships to enhance customs clearance efficiency. These efforts are crucial for enhancing Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and supporting economic growth.
“Despite the achievements, the NCS faced several challenges in the first half of 2024, including significant fluctuations in the exchange rate, a lower volume of transactions, low compliance levels among importers and exporters, and periodic downtime. These challenges impacted the consistency of revenue collection and overall operational efficiency. To address these challenges and enhance revenue collection, the NCS implemented several strategies, including real-time system auditing, post-clearance audits, verification of documents for the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), ensuring compliance with import guidelines, and the implementation of a pilot test for the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) scheme.
“Additionally, the NCS has recently introduced the Advance Ruling System (ARS), a legally binding decision on classification, valuation, and rules of origin before the importation or exportation of goods. Other pragmatic measures implemented to increase revenue, despite a drop in cargo throughput, included establishing a robust framework for dispute resolution, launching Operation Whirlwind, reshuffling strategic-level officers and robust stakeholders’ engagement.
Commending men and officers of the Serve, Comptroller General of the. Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi said that their diligence and commitment propelled the agency to achieve the remarkable feat.
He also acknowledges the stakeholders who have played significant roles in achieving this performance. He further reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s dedication to supporting the realisation of government policies for a better Nigeria.
