Nigeria Customs Service Reports Significant Revenue Growth and Anti-Smuggling Success

 The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported a significant 74% increase in revenue growth over the past year, according to Comptroller General (C-G) Adewale Adeniyi. Addressing the press in Abuja on Wednesday, Adeniyi highlighted the NCS' accomplishments over the last year.

Between June 2023 and May 2024, the NCS collected a total revenue of N4.49 trillion, compared to N2.58 trillion in the previous year. This surge was driven by a consistent 70.13% rise in average monthly revenue collection, reaching N343 billion compared to the previous N202 billion.

Particularly noteworthy was the 122.35% increase in revenue collection during the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period the previous year.

Adeniyi attributed these remarkable achievements to the service's strategic initiatives, including the Revenue Review Performance Recovery exercise, which yielded N15 billion. Additionally, N2.79 billion was collected through the 90-day window for regularizing documents of uncustomed vehicles.

Furthermore, the decongestion of 1,705 overtime containers and 981 vehicles from the port contributed N1.5 billion to the revenue. On June 13, 2024, the NCS reached a daily revenue collection record of N58.5 billion.

Anti-smuggling efforts also saw significant success, with 63 seizures related to animal and wildlife products valued at N566 million, as well as seven seizures of arms and ammunition.

Regarding illicit drugs, the NCS seized a total of 127 cases involving narcotics and pharmaceutical products valued at over N6 billion. Additionally, 724 seizures of 2.93 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were made, preventing smuggling attempts out of the country.