• 24 May, 2025
• FAITH MIMDOO KEGH
• No comment

Tinubu’s Reforms Boost Customs Revenue to ₦1.3 Trillion in Q1 2025 — Adeniyi.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a historic revenue of ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, more than doubling the ₦600 billion collected during the same period in 2023.

Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi attributed this surge to institutional reforms driven by President Bola Tinubu’s administration under the “Renewed Hope Agenda.” Speaking in a forthcoming documentary marking Tinubu’s second year in office, Adeniyi clarified that the revenue growth was not due to increased imports, which actually declined, but resulted from improved efficiency, transparency, and enforcement within Customs operations.

According to a statement by Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga, Adeniyi highlighted key initiatives that contributed to the revenue increase, including upgraded technologies, better port operations, stricter anti-leakage enforcement, and a culture of accountability throughout the Customs Service.

A central part of these reforms is the \$3.2 billion E-Customs Modernisation Project, aimed at automating cargo processing, surveillance, and payments. Once fully deployed, it is expected to generate up to \$250 billion over 20 years.

In addition, the NCS has implemented the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme to fast-track clearance for compliant importers, reduce port congestion, and improve compliance.

The Customs Service has also intensified its anti-smuggling efforts. Over ₦64 billion has been recovered from under-assessed or undervalued imports in the past nine months. Major smuggling routes through borders in Seme, Idiroko, Katsina, and Sokoto have been disrupted through joint patrols involving Customs, the Army, DSS, and Police.

To simplify trade, the NCS is rolling out the National Single Window — a digital platform that consolidates all agencies involved in cargo clearance, reducing bureaucracy and clearance times. Ports such as Apapa and Tin Can have already seen clearance times drop from 21 days to 7–10 days for compliant importers.

In support of non-oil exports, fast-track lanes have been introduced for agricultural exports, in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. In 2024, Nigeria exported over ₦340 billion in solid minerals and agricultural goods — a 38% increase from the previous year.

Internally, over 1,800 Customs officers have been trained in data analytics, risk profiling, and artificial intelligence, marking a shift from manual inspections to data-driven operations.

Adeniyi emphasized that the success of the Customs Service is rooted in President Tinubu’s directive to block leakages, facilitate trade, and boost revenue without increasing the burden on citizens. “The results speak for themselves,” he said.

FAITH MIMDOO KEGH

Manager – Oversees the daily operations, editorial planning, and strategic direction of the platform. A graduate with a solid academic foundation in media and communication, Faith brings a wealth of experience to the TokinPoint.

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