Customs Nets N1.2Trillion in 2018

Col. Hameed Ali (rtd)

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has generated a total sum of N1,202,271,240,478.30 for the year ended 2018.

According to a press statement by the Service National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah the 2018 figure surpassed the 2017 collection by N164,897,273,077.50 which was N1,037,373,967,400.80.

Commenting on this historic feat, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) described it as the result of dogged pursuit of what is right rather than being populist by compromising national interest on the altar of individual or group interests.

The statement also said that the increasing annual revenue generation from the service in the last three years is the result of reform programmes which include but not limited to, upgrade on the electronic systems from Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS I) to NICIS II which has blocked leakages.

Strategic deployment of manpower,
strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the Tariff and Trade department, robust stakeholder engagement resulting to increased compliance and increased disposition of Officers and Men to put national interest above selves.

On the anti- smuggling feats in the year under review, the NCS said its reinvigorated anti-smuggling operations yielded a total of 5,235 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N61,543,633,401.31in 2018.

The seizures include arms, ammunitions, more than 59 containers of Tramadol and other controlled drugs and 320,709 foreign rice among other items.

“Though smuggling remains a challenge, the Service three layers security strategy continues to make smuggling unattractive to the would be smugglers.

While the Service continues to deal decisively with smugglers, fellow citizens, especially border dwellers and port users are advised to support NCS by reporting any smuggling activity to the nearest Customs formation.

“Together we can protect our economy and security by joining hands to fight smuggling and ensure that appropriate customs duty is paid on every dutiable import.

“Accordingly, we appreciate compliant stakeholders that have supported the Service in 2018 and call on all Nigerians and especially international trade actors to help make 2019 better for the nation”.
the statement concluded