The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reported collecting N2.74 trillion in revenue during the first half (H1) of 2024.
This figure represents a 127 percent increase compared to the revenue collected in the same period of 2023, according to Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS national public relations officer.
“With a half-year revenue target of N2.54 trillion, the service collected N2.74 trillion, surpassing the target by eight percent and marking a 127 percent increase over the previous year’s revenue,” said Maiwada in a statement on Monday.
Maiwada noted that N1.395 trillion was collected in the second quarter, exceeding the quarterly target by 10 percent and representing a 131 percent increase over Q2 2023.
Key initiatives contributing to this success included the NCS e-auction platform, which generated over N1.34 billion, and the 90-day duty payment window for uncustomed vehicles, which added N4.37 billion to the revenue.
These measures have significantly enhanced transparency, compliance, and efficiency in customs processes, highlighting the agency’s commitment to excellence, Maiwada said.
During the first half of 2024, the NCS intensified its anti-smuggling operations, resulting in 2,442 seizures with a duty-paid value (DPV) of over N25 billion, a 203 percent increase compared to the first half of 2023.
“In the second quarter of 2024, the NCS made 1,334 seizures with a DPV of N17,564,384,378, representing a 121 percent increase over the first quarter of 2024,” Maiwada added.
The seized items included wildlife products, vehicles, arms and ammunition, foreign rice, pharmaceuticals, and narcotics, with 32 suspects currently in custody.
The NCS processed 620,467 single goods declarations (SGDs) in the first half of 2024, a reduction of approximately 39 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this decline, the NCS implemented several initiatives to streamline and expedite customs processes, including enhanced automation procedures, capacity-building programs for officers, and public-private partnerships to improve customs clearance efficiency.
These efforts were essential in boosting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and supporting economic growth, Maiwada said.
He also acknowledged the challenges faced by the NCS in the first six months of 2024, including significant fluctuations in the exchange rate, lower transaction volumes, low compliance levels among importers and exporters, and periodic downtime. These issues affected the consistency of revenue collection and overall operational efficiency.
