Nigeria Customs hits N5.07 trillion revenue target one month to end 2024

The Comptroller General of Customs, Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi has disclosed that the service on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 hit the revenue target of NGN 5.07 trillion, collecting NGN 5,079,455,088,194.38 with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year.

Comptroller General Adeniyi said this exceptional performance – projected to exceed the target by 10% – validates the partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation by the Customs.

Adeniyi made this known today, Wednesday, November 13, in his welcome address at the 2024 Comptroller General of Customs Conference in Abuja. The title of the ongoing conference is ‘Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose.’

The Customs boss, who attributed this success to many innovative ideas embraced by his administration, said “The achievement is not merely about numbers; it demonstrates how enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved processes, and modernized systems can deliver tangible results for our nation’s economy.”

Looking ahead to 2025, he informed that the present Nigeria Customs Service under his watch has crafted ambitious yet attainable goals that build on the current momentum as there is plan to deploy e-customs infrastructure and expand the Authorized Economic Operator program.

This is the full speech of Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi below:
Welcome to Abuja – our “Center of Unity” – where national aspirations meet purposeful action. The symbolism of gathering here in our federal capital, a city that exemplifies the power of unity in diversity, perfectly mirrors our mission to bring together traditional and new partners of the Nigeria Customs Service.

 A year ago, within the vibrant halls of the Lagos Continental Hotel, we made bold commitments that would reshape our engagement with stakeholders in the year 2024. The Continental Declaration of 2023 marked a turning point in our approach to partnership – not just a document of promises, but a blueprint for transformation. Today, in the prestigious Transcorp Hilton, I stand before you to demonstrate how those commitments have evolved into tangible achievements.

Our pledge was comprehensive and ambitious: modernizing our processes through a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, revolutionizing our ICT infrastructure, streamlining examination procedures, and embracing automation for enhanced efficiency. We committed to reimagining our free trade zone operations, elevating cargo integrity standards, and expanding our scanning capabilities. Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations – one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaboration with our partners.

 The successful implementation of these measures, and indeed their expansion beyond our initial commitments, has been possible through a powerful coalition of support: the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR; the strategic guidance of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Chairman of the Nigeria Customs Service Board, Mr. Wale Edun; the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service Management team and our dedicated officers and men; and the constructive engagement of our stakeholders, many of whom are here today. Together, we have created a more business-friendly trading environment that aligns with President Tinubu’s economic transformation agenda while strengthening our capacity to protect Nigerian citizens from illicit trade.

 In pursuing these objectives, we expanded the frontiers of our engagement both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders. This past year has seen us not only consolidating existing partnerships but also forging new alliances crucial to our mission. We have deliberately repositioned the Nigeria Customs Service brand, emphasizing our commitment to trade facilitation and demonstrating a more nuanced application of our authority in executing our statutory responsibilities. Through extensive stakeholder enlightenment programs, we have opened windows into our operations, fostering better understanding of our procedures and requirements. This renewed approach to partnership has led to the strengthening of existing agreements and the establishment of new ones, all aimed at creating a more collaborative and efficient trading environment.

 These strategic engagements and collaborative approaches have yielded remarkable results across our core statutory responsibilities. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that yesterday 12 November 2024, at exactly 13:10 Hrs, the Nigeria Customs Service hit its 2024 revenue target of NGN 5.07 trillion, collecting NGN 5,079,455,088,194.38 with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year. This exceptional performance – projected to exceed our target by 10% – validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation. The achievement is not merely about numbers; it demonstrates how enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved processes, and modernized systems can deliver tangible results for our nation’s economy.

 Our commitment to trade facilitation has garnered significant recognition and yielded measurable results. The Service’s leap of 33 places upward in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) rankings, placing us among the top five agencies in trade facilitation, reflects the impact of our reform initiatives. This improvement goes beyond metrics – it represents real changes in how we facilitate trade across borders. We have expanded our focus beyond traditional import operations to actively support exporters and nurture small and medium scale enterprises. The AfCFTA Secretariat’s recognition of our innovative approaches led to an invitation to share Nigeria’s experience at the prestigious Biashara Afrika forum in Kigali last month. This recognition culminated in a historic milestone – Nigeria’s first shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, marking our country’s practical commitment to continental trade integration.

 The momentum of our modernization initiatives continues to build, yielding immediate benefits for our stakeholders. With your support and collaboration, we have successfully implemented several key reforms. Our Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) scheme now has six beneficiaries in its pilot phase, carefully selected based on stringent compliance criteria. The Advanced Ruling system has processed 31 requests, with 12 rulings issued – notably, 75% of these were completed in October following our stakeholder sensitization efforts. Additionally, the introduction of 24-hour cargo clearance at major ports has significantly reduced dwell time; the completion of Nigeria’s first Time Release Study now provides us with empirical data to measure and improve our efficiency; our enhanced risk management systems are streamlining operations; and the deployment of non-intrusive inspection equipment is accelerating cargo examination while maintaining robust controls.

 In fulfilling our enforcement mandate, we have achieved unprecedented success in protecting both our citizens and economy. The scale of our intervention is reflected in seizures valued at NGN 28.1 billion and counting in 2024 alone. These seizures span critical areas of national concern – from wildlife items and arms and ammunition to narcotics and pharmaceutical products. A important moment in our enforcement strategy was the declaration of a state of emergency at our major ports, which led to the interception of 48 containers of illicit pharmaceutical items and narcotics, significantly disrupting the flow of potentially harmful products. Through strategic operations, we continue to intercept and seize prohibited items that pose direct threats to public health and safety. Our enforcement activities have been particularly impactful in addressing items that could worsen our current economic challenges. A standout example is Operation Whirlwind, launched in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). This joint initiative to combat petroleum product smuggling demonstrates how inter-agency cooperation can effectively protect our national resources and economic stability. The success of these operations underscores a crucial lesson: when agencies work together with shared purpose, we multiply our effectiveness in safeguarding national interests.

 In the spirit of transparency, we must acknowledge the challenges that have tested our resolve this year. A primary concern has been the misconception of our role amid monetary policy changes, where some stakeholders viewed our actions as trade-restrictive rather than recognizing our enhanced commitment to trade facilitation. Additionally, we continue to grapple with widespread noncompliance among the larger population of traders who, though numerous, contribute relatively smaller portions to our trade volumes, values, and revenue. These external challenges have required us to intensify our stakeholder engagement and compliance initiatives.

 A significant internal challenge we must address transparently is the unprecedented rate of leadership transitions within our Service. The statistics tell a compelling story: we saw 60% of our management team exit in 2022, 36% in 2023, and this year, we will experience a 76% change in our management composition. With projections indicating another 40% of our management staff retiring in 2024, we recognize the urgent need for strategic intervention. In response, we have launched an ambitious Human Resource Development Plan that addresses both immediate and long-term needs. This includes accelerated career progression opportunities for deserving officers, ensuring that talent and dedication are appropriately rewarded. Most significantly, we are making a historic investment in human capital infrastructure through the establishment of a Customs University – a testament to our commitment to building a knowledgedriven service. These initiatives, aligned with the World Customs Organization’s focus on youth leadership development, complement our comprehensive talent management program that identifies and prepares promising officers for leadership roles, ensuring the Service’s continued stability and effectiveness.

 This period of transition, while challenging, presents us with unique opportunities to reshape our future. Looking ahead to 2025, we have crafted ambitious yet attainable goals that build on our current momentum. We aim to dramatically reduce physical inspection rates through enhanced risk management systems, fully deploy our e-customs infrastructure, and expand our Authorized Economic Operator program. Our focus extends to strengthening regional integration through improved border cooperation and deepening stakeholder engagement through regular consultative forums.

 These objectives are not just operational targets; they are our vision for a modern customs administration that effectively balances trade facilitation, revenue collection, and security. The achievement of these goals, particularly during this period of leadership transition, will require even stronger partnerships with all stakeholders – from government agencies to private sector operators.

 Our conference theme – “Nigeria Customs Service Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose” – is particularly relevant at this juncture. As we reflect on our successes and challenges, we are increasingly convinced that no single agency can effectively meet today’s customs challenges alone. The intricate nature of international trade, coupled with our internal transformation, demands innovative partnerships and collaborative approaches.

 The sessions ahead promise rich discussions on revenue collection, trade facilitation, partnerships, and compliance. Your insights and experiences will be crucial in refining our strategies for the coming year, particularly as we develop our next generation of customs leaders.

I must express profound gratitude to His Excellency, the President, for his support of our modernization initiatives. To our partners – both traditional and new – your collaboration has been instrumental in our achievements despite the challenges we’ve faced. To the hardworking officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly those who have served and those preparing to take up new leadership roles, your dedication continues to drive our success.

 And speaking of success, I am pleased to announce that Friday evening will be dedicated to celebrating excellence at our Awards Night. Despite our challenging operating environment, or perhaps because of it, it is crucial that we recognize and reward outstanding performance. We have curated an evening that promises to be both significant and entertaining. I warmly invite all our guests to join us for what will be a memorable celebration of achievement and dedication.

 Let us use these next few days to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones, as well as create a legacy of collaboration that will support the Service through its transition and beyond, all in service of our nation’s economic development and security.

L-R: Alhaji Hakeem Olarenwaju, Chairman of Customs Consultative Committee, Prince Segun Oduntan, Vice President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), and Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, National President, Association of Africa Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) at the Comptroller General of Customs Conference at Hilton Hotel Abuja