The National Security Adviser And The Representative Of President Bola Tinubu, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu
…As Customs Achieves 2024 Revenue Target Of N5.07trn In November
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, revealed how the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), intercepted over 500 trucks load of grains to be exported out of the country during food scarcity.
Speaking at the 2024 edition of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC’s), Conference titled ‘Nigeria Customs’ Service: Engaging Traditional And New Partners with Purpose,’ President Tinubu, said the current Customs management intercepted over 500 trucks within 24 hours.
Tinubu who was represented by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, however, commended the service for the feat.
The President noted that the economy is getting better, citing increased crude oil production in the Niger Delta as well as the fiscal reforms by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu And The Comptroller General Of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi
“Crude oil production has hit 1.8 million bpd and the Central Bank has been sanitised; no one is taking a dime from the CBN. When we promised that we’ll fix this country, we will do so because President Tinubu has never been a failure,” he said.
The President said his administration’s achievement demonstrates that its policies are yielding positive results, including the high revenue generation performance by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), making Nigeria increasingly attractive for both domestic and international investors.
Meanwhile, with over 45 days to the end of the year, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday, announced that it has met it N5.07trllion revenue target for year 2024.
The Customs CG, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the service target for 2024 was met on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, at exactly 13:10 Hrs.
According to Adeniyi, the service also Intercepted contraband worth N28.1billion between January to November 12, 2024.
The Customs boss, however, stated that feat was achieved through enhanced stakeholders’ collaboration, improved processes, and modernized systems.
“I am pleased to announce that yesterday 12th November 2024, at exactly 13:10 Hrs, the Nigeria Customs Service hit its 2024 revenue target of NGN 5.07 trillion, collecting N5,079,455,088,194.38 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.”
“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.”
Adeniyi, however, attributed the 2024 successes recorded by the Service to the continental declaration of the 2023 CGC’s conference In Lagos.
“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, 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, the strategic guidance of the 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.”
“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.