Agricultural export boosts Customs revenue at Seme Border

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has attributed the all-time high revenue of N3.48 billion it collected in February to a recent surge in agricultural export through the Seme Border.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, disclosed this figure at a stakeholders’ engagement, remarking that while the month was yet to end, the command had already earned massive revenue from duties due to increased export trade at the border.

Adenuga noted that this figure represented a remarkable improvement over the N743. 7 million recorded in February 2025, attributing the surge largely to the seamless trade facilitation process adopted at the command.

“For this February that has not yet ended, we have already generated N3,480,970,924.67 as against N743,698,652.16 revenue generated in February 2025. This clearly shows that the flow of trade is getting better and people are building greater confidence in the Seme–Krake corridor, ” the comptoller said.

He assured traders and stakeholders that the significant reduction in checkpoints along the Seme–Gbaji axis is the direct result of strong collaborative efforts with other security agencies operating within the corridor. He clarified that only Agbara and Gbaji remained the officially Customs approved and sanctioned checkpoints along this Lagos-Abidjan corridor.

We have also seen noticeable decline in crime rates along the Seme-Gbaji axis due to the positive outcomes of monthly joint border security meetings involving all agencies at the border post,” Adenuga said.

Comptroller Adenuga further noted that while revenue generation and trade facilitation remained key priorities, the command’s mandate extended firmly to combating illicit activities.

He highlighted recent enforcement successes, including the interception of a Toyota Highlander vehicle conveying 22 packages of cocaine with an estimated street value exceeding N1 billion, a feat which was made possible based on very credible information shared by the Comptroller-General of Customs.

“In addition, during February 2026 alone, the Command has seized 1,000 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, underscoring its unwavering commitment to suppressing smuggling and protecting Nigeria’s economic borders,” he said.

He reiterated the vigilance and commitment of the operatives of the command in working closely with stakeholders, traders, farmers, sister security agencies and regional partners to improve the momentum of trade and security along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.

Those at the engagement, according to a statement by the command’s spokesman, Mr Tunde Ayagbalo, were cross-border traders, farmers and stakeholders during a meeting organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme and GIZ International where he represented the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

The theme of the event, held in Badagry on Wednesday, 25 February 2026, was “Empowering Cross-Border Traders through Trade Information Desk for Agricultural Traders.”