Apapa Customs seals three bonded terminals, rakes in N1.37trn revenue in six months

…seizes N9. 2bn contraband

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its anti-smuggling operations, sealing three bonded terminals and intercepting 27 containers of prohibited goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N9.2 billion in the first half of 2025.

This comes as the Command also announced a revenue collection of N1.37 trillion within the review period.

Controller of the command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, disclosed these during a press briefing on the Command’s H1 2025 performance review.

Olomu said the amount generated represents a 35% increase compared to the N1.023 trillion collected during the same period in 2024, marking a N354 billion increase.

He attributed the success to the diligence of his officers and compliance among traders, stating, “On my watch and under the direction of the CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, we have always insisted on maximum collection of government revenue by preventing leakages and applying demand notices (DN) where and when necessary.”

Olomu stated that the sealing of the three bonded terminals was due to various trade infractions, with one already facing prosecution and investigations ongoing for the remaining two.

“As a fallout from our uncompromising anti-smuggling operations, one of the terminals has been charged to court for prosecution while investigation is still ongoing on the remaining two terminals, “he said.

Among the 27 containers seized between January and June 2025, Olomu said nine contained various illicit goods including:10 containers of unregistered pharmaceuticals, 2 containers of codeine syrup, 2 containers of stolen vehicles, 4 containers of second-hand clothing, expired margarine, wild animals’ skin and other sundry items.

“These seizures are part of our efforts to prevent Nigerians from consuming unwholesome foods and drugs, stop illicit trade, and protect our local industries. As a standard, we will not compromise the safety of Nigerians on the altar of trade facilitation.

“Prominent on the list of the twenty-eight (28) seizures made by the command during the period under review are unregistered pharmaceuticals, controlled drugs, used clothing, codeine syrup, wild animals’ skin, and other sundry items, ” he said.

Olomu warned perpetrators of illegal acts that the Apapa Port Command’s officers are eagle-eyed and activated to detect and seize uncustomed goods with a clear mandate to arrest perpetrators.

He also noted that the trafficking of wild animals violates the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory, adding that on the detention list is a container of matches imported without the required End User Certificate (EUC)

In the area of trade facilitation, Olomu said beyond surpassing its revenue target, the command achieved laudable milestones including the issuance of the first Single Goods Declaration using the B’Odogwu platform on the 9th of May, 2025.

“This marks a significant shift towards faster and more reliable cargo handling. We have deployed a robust platform that facilitates trade and ensures timely clearance of cargo, addressing challenges such as poor network connectivity, delays, and congestion associated with the former system.

“Very recently, under the guidance of the CGC, we opened discussions with officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and other stakeholders from various associations on developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the movement of goods by rail from Apapa Port to other states.

“These talks have shown great prospects for success, with pledges of support and anticipation for robust participation by all concerned. This effort to revive cargo movement by rail aims to decongest the port, reduce pressure on Apapa roads, and provide a viable and cost-effective cargo movement option for importers, exporters, freight forwarding practitioners, haulage operators, and licensed customs agents, ” he said.

Olomu also commended the strong inter-agency collaboration, particularly with other government agencies, for their “robust intelligence sharing and joint consultations towards national security,” which he said has dealt “great blows to criminals and their activities.”

“The first half of 2025 has been an outstanding period for the command in revenue collection, trade facilitation, enhanced stakeholder engagement, deployment of technology, improvement in compliance, and uncompromising discipline. These culminated in better achievements for us, in line with the CGC’s policy thrust, ” he said.