The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command said that they had generated over N1.022 trillion from Apapa port through seized 157 containers and others worth N14.4 billion in 2022.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, made this disclosure on Thursday in Lagos, while addressing newsmen. He said the revenue collected by the command was 16.07 per cent higher than the N870,388 billion collected in 2021.
On export trade, in line with the Federal Government diversification of the economy in non-oil export, he said the command recorded a total of $68.5 million Free on board (FOB) value with a naira equivalent of N28.2 billion of non-oil commodities with a total tonnage of 6.4 million Metric tonnes exported through Apapa port.
He revealed that items exported through Apapa Port in 2022 included steel bars, agricultural produce such as hibiscus, sesame seeds, cocoa, cashew nuts, ginger, soya beans, and mineral products.
The command also said it arrested about 60 suspects in connection with various contraband during the year under review.
According to him, “From the second quarter of 2022, the industry experienced a backdrop in trade, occasioned by fluctuation in exchange rate and a sharp drop in the purchasing power by the consumers which made trade unpredictable.
“However, with all these setbacks in the clearance value chain, the Apapa Command was able to collect revenue to the tune of N1.022 trillion as revenue for the year 2022.
“The feat was made possible because of the resilience of the command’s officers and men in blocking revenue leakages and ensuring that all unpaid declarations and unutilized PAARs were traced and accounted into the Federal Government coffers.”
The Apapa Customs Area Controller hinted that the command had intensified its anti-smuggling operations through leveraging on its technological infrastructure to ensure that illicit trade, which poses threat to the national security and well-being of the society are being detected and controlled from finding their way to society.
“The Command has strived to move beyond its potential to ensure synergy and collaboration with other stakeholders in the port to address the menace of illicit importation. In the year under review, a total number of 157 containers with a duty paid value (DPV) of N14.4 billion were seized, as against 102 containers with DPV of N31.8 billion seized in the year 2021.
“Our record shows that fake and prohibited drugs without NAFDAC certification topped the list of seizures made last year. Other items seized include codeine syrup, foreign parboiled rice, vegetable oil, processed/unprocessed wood, used clothing, etc,” he said.