The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a 127% increase in revenue for the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, NCS national public relations officer Abdullahi Maiwada highlighted the service’s significant achievements.
“With a half-year revenue target of N2.54 trillion, the service has collected N2.74 trillion, surpassing the target by eight percent and marking a 127 percent increase over the previous year’s revenue. N1.395 trillion was collected in the second quarter alone, exceeding the quarterly target by ten percent and representing a 131 percent increase over Q2 2023,” said Maiwada.
Maiwada attributed this success to key initiatives, including the e-auction platform, which generated over N1.34 billion, and a 90-day duty payment window for uncustomed vehicles, adding N4.37 billion to the revenue. These measures have significantly enhanced transparency, compliance, and efficiency in customs processes, underscoring the NCS’s commitment to excellence.
During the period under review, the NCS intensified its anti-smuggling operations, recording 2,442 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) exceeding N25 billion from January to June 2024. This figure is 203 percent higher than the DPV of seizures in the first half of 2023.
“In the second quarter of 2024, the NCS made 1,334 seizures with a DPV of N17.56 billion, representing a 121 percent increase over the first quarter of 2024. The top items seized include wildlife items, vehicles, arms and ammunition, foreign rice, pharmaceuticals, and narcotics, with 32 suspects in custody,” Maiwada stated.
The NCS processed 620,467 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) in the first half of 2024, reflecting a reduction of approximately 39 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this decline, the NCS has implemented several key initiatives to simplify and expedite customs processes, including the reinforcement of NCS automation procedures, capacity-building programs for officers, and public-private partnerships to enhance customs clearance efficiency. These efforts are crucial for enhancing Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and supporting economic growth.
Maiwada acknowledged that the NCS faced several challenges in the first half of 2024, including significant fluctuations in the exchange rate, lower transaction volumes, low compliance levels among importers and exporters, and periodic downtime. These challenges affected the consistency of revenue collection and overall operational efficiency.
To address these challenges and enhance revenue collection, the NCS implemented several strategies, including real-time system auditing, post-clearance audits, and verification of documents for the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report. Additional strategies included ensuring compliance with import guidelines and implementing a pilot test for the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) scheme.
Maiwada also mentioned that the NCS recently introduced measures to fulfill its constitutional duties, such as the Advance Ruling System (ARS), launching Operation Whirlwind, reshuffling strategic-level officers, and engaging robust stakeholders.