1st Quarter 2026: Lillypond Customs records N130b exports

By Gboyega Oni

Nigeria’s climbing economic graph has been further bouyed by the Nigeria Customs surging revenue profile as the Lilly Pond Command ljora recorded a significant growth in export trade in the first quarter of 2026.

Manufactured goods, agricultural produce, solid and extractive minerals valued at nine hundred and twenty five million, eight hundred and forty four thousand, , four hundred and sixty nine dollars and eighty four cents ($925,844,469.84) were processed by the Nigeria Customs Service, Lilypond Export Command, Ijora, for shipments to various parts of the world. This figure was equivalent of N130 billion.

This figure, according to Comptroller SO Ariyibi, Customs Area Controller of the Command, was 38.68% over $667,597,082.65 recorded by the country in the same period in 2025.

In his address on the first quarter performance of the command in Lagos today, Comptroller Ariyibi noted that despite a decline in the volume of export cargo in January, business picked up in February and March 2026 while container throughput equally recorded remarkable growth with 19,014 export containers.

The Controller informed that in January 2026, exports declined by 1.12%, amounting to $267.66 million (Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Thousand USD) compared to $270.70 million (Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Seven Hundred Thousand USD) in January 2025.

February 2026 recorded an increase of 12.43%, rising from $225.13 million (Two Hundred and Twenty-Five Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand USD) to $253.12 million (Two Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars).

March 2026 witnessed a significant increase of 135.83%, with export value rising to $425.48 million (Four Hundred and Twenty-Five Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand USD) from $171.76 million (One Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand USD) in March 2025.

Container throughput equally recorded remarkable growth. The Command processed 19,014 export containers in Q1 2026, representing an increase of 9,292 containers or 95.58% over the 9,722 containers handled in the corresponding period of 2025.

Agricultural Produce:
Agricultural exports increased from $523.26 million (Five Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand USD) in Q1 2025 to $608.46 million (Six Hundred and Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand USD) in Q1 2026, indicating a growth of $85.20 million (Eighty-Five Million, Two Hundred Thousand USD).

“This reflects a steady and encouraging growth trajectory,” said Ariyibi.

Manufactured Goods:
Export value rose significantly from $93.48 million (Ninety-Three Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand USD) in Q1 2025 to $297.36 million (Two Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand USD) in Q1 2026, representing an increase of $203.88 million (Two Hundred and Three Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Thousand USD).

“This underscores the sector’s emergence as a key driver of economic diversification,” the Controller pointed out.

Solid and Extractive Minerals:
Export value declined from $42.17 million (Forty-Two Million, One Hundred and Seventy Thousand USD) in Q1 2025 to $5.23 million (Five Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand USD) in Q1 2026, representing a decrease of $36.93 million (Thirty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty Thousand USD).

Ariyibi said “This reflects a strategic shift towards local processing and value addition in line with government policy.”

The Customs Area Controller added in the period, export surcharge collections (2.5%) increased to ₦199.36 million, compared to ₦163.66 million in the first quarter of 2025, representing a 21.81% increase.

He noted that the proceeds under the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) increased during the period by N1.01 billion, or 20.15 per cent, from N5.01 billion in Q1 2025 to N6.03 billion in Q1 2026.

Ariyibi attributed the rise to a strict compliance with the directives of the Comptroller-General of Customs as the Lilypond Export Command has continued to implement measures aimed at enhancing export trade facilitation while it is actively advancing the deployment of the National Single Window platform, with officers being adequately prepared for seamless implementation of a unified export documentation system in due course.

While urging all exporters operating within this command to remain compliant with extant export regulations, avoid all forms of infractions, and keep abreast of guidelines issued by the Federal Government, he said “Let me reiterate that export remains critical to Nigeria’s economy. It promotes foreign exchange earnings, drives economic diversification, and contributes significantly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. While crude oil remains dominant, non-oil exports comprising agricultural produce, solid minerals, and manufactured goods are vital for mitigating external shocks, creating employment, and stabilising the national currency, the Naira.

“The command remains committed to continuous stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and provision of necessary support to facilitate legitimate export trade, as part of efforts to strengthen the national economy through a favourable balance of trade.”

The erstwhile moribund Lillypond Customs Command has lately become money spinning following a collaboration between Customs and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that birthed Export Processing Terminals (EPT) whose operations were streamlined and domiciled under the Command.

This novel arrangement, lT driven, is a monumental success as it removed bottlenecks hitherto associated with export. This provided a long desired filip and motivation for Nigerian exports and exporters culminating in the recent hyper activities around the Command and the attendant huge revenues recorded by Customs and all stakeholders.