Trade Facilitation: Team Olomu, Onyeka, Shuaibu, Balogun and Soaring Image of Customs
ADENIYI AND OLOMU
By Chinonso Apeh
For the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), there is no doubt that a lot is happening at the Command levels. So much achievements have been recorded at the Commands. These were made possible by the goodwill being created by the different Controllers. There is so much horse trading in terms of stakeholders engagements that have no doubt yielded positively to the overall good of the Customs Service. The Controllers have had the task of reaching out to the freight forwarding and importers to convince them on embracing the policies of government. This measure has led to trade regulations compliance. When there is normalcy and everyone is keeping to the rules, it helps the customs Commands to record increased revenue. This in turn gladdens the heart of the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who ensures that revenue targets are met.
The effect is that the revenue generating agency of the government has in turn become a cynosure of all eyes. And it is fulfilling all the expectations of the federal government, from the executive arm of the government to the National Assembly. The Customs revenue target was earlier N6.584 trillion, but now the situation has changed with the Senate raising the 2025 revenue target to N10 trillion. This was when the Customs management team visited the Senate Committee for a budget appraisal session. However, at the Command levels, the Controllers have been working hard to ensure that the Service performs better in all forms. This has been through collaboration with stakeholders, including freight forwarders, shipping companies and the media to promote trade facilitation. The Controllers of Customs at Apapa, Tin Can Island ports, Federal Operations Units (FOUs) of Lagos and Owerri have all been noted as driving deeply stakeholders engagement for overall trade facilitation. This has deeply promoted the image of the Service as not just after revenue but also efficient trade facilitation.
Compt. Babatunde Olomu, Apapa Customs Controller
For a very long time, since assuming office, the Apapa Customs Controller, Dr. Babatunde Olomu fsi, has been very notable in championing stakeholders engagement in a bid to create an environment for trade facilitation. In July last year, the Controller had risen to ensure that the threat to stage a nationwide protest by some individuals did not affect the seaports. Olomu had assured ports users that port operations would continue notwithstanding the threat to protest. He had rallied the clearing agents to emphasize the imperative of rebuilding confidence among all stakeholders, including importers, exports as well as other. He had called a meeting involving the Commissioner of Police, Western Ports Police Command, the Port Manager, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Apapa, among other stakeholders. During the meeting, the NPA used the opportunity to sensitize the shipping companies and terminal operators to ensure that normal services were maintained and waive demurrage charges any day services were not possible.
The Controller had also recently engaged the stakeholders on how to improve on multimodal transport system, so that it would be possible to move goods by rail. He had informed the stakeholders that this was the idea of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adeniyi, to improve logistics through multimodal transport. Olomu told stakeholders, “recall that rail has been in operation for quite a while, so we want to fine-tune the process to improve our trade objectives. When we have a seamless trade process, it will benefit our stakeholders.” During the event, Head of Operations, NRC, Akin Oshinowo, assured of the readiness pf NRC to always cooperate with the Service. Oshinowo said, “We have always found a willing partner in the Comptroller and his men, which forms part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) established years ago.
“The discussion we had today aligns with the NRC’s objectives and supports the renewed hope agenda for rail transportation in Nigeria”.
The Customs Controller has also recently initiated the idea of visiting associations of freight forwarders in their secretariates. One of the associations, is the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) who will on Tuesday host the Controller. The association in a statement issued by NAGAFF’s Secretary-General, Fwdr. Godfrey Emeka Nwosu, said, “with the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 1st 2025, the leadership of the premier port of Nigeria has taken up this responsibility to actualize the objectives set by the CGC.”
The statement added, “In view of this development, the Controller of Apapa Port Command shall be visiting NAGAFF Headquarters to confer with the leadership and members with a view to carrying along the critical stakeholders.
“It is on record that the ongoing customs modernization is targeted towards ensuring that the customs ports and borders are made to be most friendly, competitive, efficient and revenue oriented.
“It is also expected to stem down smuggling activities, facilitate trade and ensure e-commerce application in the customs ports and borders through B’Odogwu indigenous revolution” Nwosu called on all freight forwarders, members of the Board, National Executive Officers (Western Zone) and other stakeholders to be at the headquarters to receive the CAC Apapa Port Command during his visit.
To observers, the stakeholders engagement will continue to add value to the Customs Service and indeed trade facilitation. So far, the Apapa Command as at May, 45 days ahead of the half year report collected ₦1,002,968,178,694.07. Last year, the Command recorded more than N2.1 trillion revenue. The Command also won several awards for revenue collection. Among the awards were the CGC Award of Excellence, with Comptroller Olomu emerging as ‘Best Controller of the Year’. This was as a result of his exceptional leadership.
Compt. Frank Onyeka, Tin Can Customs Controller
On assuming office, what appeared like the first assignment of the Contoller in Tin Can was to resolve the issue of multiple alerts. Before then, customs agents had complained about this problem and the effect on trade facilitation. Onyeka had to introduce key reforms to tackle the issue of multiple alerts, streamline operations, and enhance trade facilitation. On February 4, 2025, he held a meeting of critical stakeholders attended by officials of government agencies, terminal operators, freight forwarders, importers, and customs agents to discus how to improve service delivery. During the meeting, he addressed the issue of multiple alerts which he noted had affected smooth cargo clearance at the port. He said that to deal with the issue only alerts issued by legitimate units such, specifically the Valuation Department or the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), which could be as a result of intelligence will enjoy direct approval. The second major task was to sensitize stakeholders on the importance of B; Odogwu. During one of the interactive sessions, experts were invited from both the private and public sectors to interface the importers and freight forwarders. It was an open dialogue on the operational implications of these new initiative. On the occasion, he explained that the B’Odogwu Clearance System was mainly to step up Customs modernization on clearance process in order to reduce bottlenecks, and enhancing compliance. This was before the launching of the scheme in his Command. With the efforts of the Controller in stakeholders engagement, the Command has continued to fair well in revenue generation. In May, the Command generated the sum of ₦128.4 billion in revenue. The Command said the figure represents a significant increase from the ₦92.67 billion collected in the same time last year. Onyeka said the “Command is committed to seamless revenue generation while ensuring only legitimate trade is facilitated through the port”.
Compts. Shuaibu, Balogun on the Anti-smuggling Seats
One of the statutory functions of the Customs is to ensure that smuggling is curtailed because of its obvious implication. Smuggling ruins the economy. Apart from what is lost in revenue, if unchecked unscrupulous elements can bring any dangerous imports into the country. This explains why the Customs Service places much emphasis on waging war against smuggling. Among those saddled with the responsibility of anti-smuggling include the Controllers of Federal Operations Unit (FOUs) Zone A and Zone C in Lagos and South East , Owerri. They are Comptrollers Mohammed Shuaibu and BA Balogun respectively.
The two have so far been able to deal a big blow on smugglers in the past few months of their appointments. The FOU Zone A Controller, Shuaibu had in April announced seizures of various items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1, 501,312,425.00. Among the items were 7 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice, 82 packs of Tramadol, with 10 sachets per pack, 246 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, 290 jerry cans of premium motor spirit (PMS), and 12 Bales and 4 sacks of used clothings. The seized 246kg of cannabis sativa were handed over the to the seizures to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while tramadol capsules were given to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Apart from this, the Command was able to hit importers who tried to evade payment of correct duties by recovering the sum of N20, 792, 372.99 through the issuance of demand notices (DN). Shuaibu had called on the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to smuggling or illicit trade. He also urged declarants to remain honest in their declarations to avoid unnecessary bottleneck.
He said, “In an era characterized by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is vital for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration. I take this responsibility seriously.
“Our intelligence driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit our stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as we intend to collapse all patrol points within Lagos metropolis.”
On the Eastern part of the country, the FOU Zone C Controller, Compt Balogun recently announced the interception of a 40- footer containerised donkey skin billed for illegal export which was estimated to be worth about N3.6 billion. The items were in 10 pieces per sack and 9 pieces per sack , totalling 3,022 pieces.
Each dry salted donkey skin, according to the Customs has an average weight of 4.5kg, giving a total weight of 13.599 kilograms. Dry donkey skin is all known to be under the export prohibition list in Nigeria. Customs explains that this is due to its “implications on biodiversity, environmental balance and the illegal trade in endangered species”.
Balogun made the seizure about three months on the assumption of office. He is known for in zero tolerance to corruption and doggedness in his duties, and the seizures recorded so far within a short period of time in the Command speak for him.
Conclusion
Observers believe that the stakeholders engagement has so far impacted positively in trade facilitation in what will lead to the service meeting its revenue target for the year and probably surpassing it. But beyond that, the Controllers have no doubt done well in impacting positively on the image of the Customs Service through their activities. This is a big plus for the CGC Adeniyi for choosing them to serve in their different Commands. Already, the Service is receiving commendations from high profile individuals and associations. Just last week, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, commended the Service for its remarkable strides in customs modernisation and trade facilitation. This was during the 145th/146th Sessions Opening of the Customs Co-operation Council, held at the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Headquarters in Brussels. Iweala had said, “The leadership of CGC Adeniyi has positioned Nigeria as a model for customs modernisation across the continent. These efforts are critical to strengthening global trade and ensuring that customs administrations contribute meaningfully to economic development.” , It would be recalled that last year, President Bola Tinubu had also commended the Service under Adeniyi for playing a crucial role in stabilising the nation’s economy. Tinubu explained that this was through the effective implementation of government policies.
About Post Author
