…To launch $3.2bn e-Customs cargo systems
By Charles Ebi
Nigeria Customs Service ,NCS, on Saturday said it no longer chases smugglers in bushes as the long-standing smuggling routes along the Seme, Idiroko, Katsina, and Sokoto borders have been disrupted.
The NCS also disclosed that it generated a record-breaking N1.3tn in revenue in the first quarter of 2025, representing more than 100% increase from the N600bn collected during the same period in 2023.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, between August 2024 and April 2025, over N64bn was recovered from undervalued imports, more than 1,800 officers were trained, and smuggling rings were dismantled.
According to him, a total of N340bn worth of exports were processed, and clearance timelines at major ports have dropped significantly.
Adeniyi attributed the revenue growth not to increased import volumes—which have declined due to forex constraints—but to improved efficiency, tighter enforcement, and enhanced transparency.
“We collected N1.3tn in Q1 2025 alone. This isn’t because imports rose; it’s because we blocked leakages and improved systems”, he said.
He announced that the Service is set to launch the “$3.2bn E-Customs Modernisation Project to fully digitise Nigeria’s cargo processing, surveillance, and payment systems”.
“The initiative is projected to generate $250bn over 20 years”.
Also underway is the Authorised Economic Operator ,AEO, Programme, which allows pre-vetted importers to enjoy fast-lane processing and reduced port congestion.
“It’s about trust and efficiency. If you’re compliant, you get green-lane treatment. This is how modern customs work globally”, Adeniyi explained.
On anti-smuggling efforts, Adeniyi revealed that “long-standing smuggling routes along Seme, Idiroko, Katsina, and Sokoto borders have been disrupted”, thanks to joint border task forces with the Army, DSS, and Police.
“We’re no longer chasing smugglers in the bush. We’re now acting in real-time using data, drones, and intelligence”, he said.
To further streamline trade, the NCS is rolling out the National Single Window—a digital portal that unifies clearance processes across all government agencies.
“Currently, importers deal with up to 15 agencies manually. With the Single Window, everything is done online, and clearance times at Apapa and Tin Can have dropped from 21 days to 7–10 days for compliant importers”, Adeniyi said.
The NCS is also pushing Nigeria’s non-oil exports. In 2024, over N340bn worth of solid minerals and agro commodities were formally exported a 38% rise from the previous year.
On internal reforms, Adeniyi said over 1,800 Customs officers have been trained in advanced analytics, risk profiling, and artificial intelligence to transform the agency into an intelligence-driven institution.
“Customs is evolving beyond physical inspections. We’re becoming smarter and globally aligned”, he said.
He reaffirmed the president’s mandate to block leakages, facilitate trade, and boost revenue without overburdening Nigerians. adding that “The results are speaking for themselves”.
The Comptroller-General said the agency has introduced fast-track lanes for agro-exports and is working with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council ,NEPC, to streamline outbound cargo processes in line with the government’s push for non-oil exports.
“We’re promoting exports aggressively. Last year, Nigeria exported over ₦340 billion worth of solid minerals and agro commodities through formal channels, up by 38 percent. We’re targeting even more in 2025″, he said. In April 2025, Customs announced that it achieved N1.75 in revenue in Q1 2025.
