The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Area Command, has announced that it generated N522.4 billion in the first half of 2022. The Area Controller, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, made this known at a news conference in Lagos recently.
Mr Yusuf said that the figure showed a significant increase of N156 billion or 42.54 per cent when compared to the N366.5 billion collected in the corresponding period of 2021.
According to him, “This feat was made possible because of our officers’ resilience in ensuring identified revenue leakages have been mitigated while sustaining the level of compliance by the importers/stakeholders in the clearance value chain.”
On export, he explained that in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy through non-oil export, the command recorded a boom in the exportation of non-oil commodities with about 2.5 million metric tonnes, above the 540 metric tonnes in the year 2021.
He noted that the Free on Board (FOB) value for the exported items also rose from $1.6 million in the year 2021 to $138 million in 2022. “Items exported include steel bars, agricultural and mineral products amongst others.
He noted that the Federal Government policy and export incentive schemes have played vital roles in boosting export trade in Nigeria.
Mr Yusuf revealed that the logistics challenge occasioned by the ongoing rail construction is currently hampering the utilisation of the scanners at Apapa.
He, however, expressed optimism that with the level of cooperation from the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and the intervention of the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki; within the next two months Apapa scanners would be deployed and utilised.
