Olomu: Customs and Renewed Efforts on Revenue Generation, Anti- smuggling
ADENIYI AND OLOMU
By Francis Ugwoke
The common trend preceding the 2006 port reform exercise that led to the concession of the seaports to terminal operators was ‘container flying’. For those unfamiliar with this term, it was simply an exercise in which unscrupulous importers, customs agents and few others in ports system indulged in taking containers out of the ports unprocedurally. This way, they evaded all the processes of cargo examination and subsequently payment of duties leading to delivery to the importers. Perhaps, the worst was that some of the containers could have been contraband. So, in effect, some criminals may have brought into the country offensive items, either banned drugs or weapons of mass destruction. That was the era of racketeering when some set of mafia or syndicate ruled the ports. The syndicate lasted for long before the reform exercise brought some changes at the ports. With the seaport terminals under the concessionaires who had the responsibility to account for the cargoes under their care, ‘container flying’ took a back seat. But as it is often said, bad habit dies hard. In the past few years, unscrupulous importers and customs agents have had to refocus. Instead of ‘flying containers’ and risking the consequences if apprehended, the trend has been in the area of under-declaration, concealment and underpayment. This is a common crime among traders. For those indulging in this, the customs has the responsibility of bringing the culprits to book. The Service has had the prerogative of simply collecting the appropriate duties, imposing penalties in line with the Customs Act and the importer is allowed to take his goods. This is if the items involved are trade goods, in other words, they are not contraband.
Revenue Generation, Anti- smuggling
No doubt the port reform exercise brought about some changes to all the agencies of the federal government. With roles and revenue generation shared between the concessionaires and government agencies, every agency had to hit the road running. It was time to work hard for more revenue. The sector needed to increase its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GPD). But in all this, it would appear that no agency has been under such pressure as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). In the past few years, the Service has witnessed intense pressure to generate more revenue for the federal government. The oil sector which has been the backbone of the economy has been hit by recession and the attendant dwindling revenue, a development that is impacting negatively on the national economy. This requires other sectors, including the maritime sector to do better than has been the case. Incidentally, the maritime sector is seen as the next to oil in terms of contributions to the national economy. It was this that led to the present focus of the federal, state governments on the Customs Service. And sincerely, the Service has indeed not failed to do well in this regard. It has continued to increase revenue generation every year. It has been a national service in which strong measures have been put in place to address leakages of the past.
Apapa Customs Revenue
As the premier port and the biggest of all the seaports in Nigeria, Apapa port occupies a special position in the scheme of things in the country. It generates the highest cargo traffic as well as revenue for the federal government. About 60 percent of customs annual revenue comes from the seaport. This means a lot of task for the Customs Command. To be able to meet up with the expectations of the federal government, the Customs Command led by Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, has had to introduce stern measures. This has been in line with the mission of the management team of the Customs led by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR to bring about lasting reform that promotes trade facilitation, efficiency, revenue generation and anti-smuggling. Adeniyi’s known vision in the customs is ”modernization, enhanced revenue generation, and improved trade facilitation”. Following this, the Command has recorded impressive revenue generation and massive seizures that have nearly shut the doors against smuggling and all manner of those into fraudulent practices at the ports. This is evident with the revenue and seizures recorded in the past few months.
Impressive Revenue Record
As at the first quarter of the year, the Command announced a revenue generation of N753.8bn. Comptroller Olomu disclosed this when members of the House Committee on Customs led by Hon Leke Abejide visited the port. Olomu said the figure showed 54 percent increase higher than what was realized during the same period last year. Specifically, the amount is N205bn higher than the N489bn generated during the first quarter of 2024. Olomu told the visiting federal lawmakers that the Command received N18.9bn on March 14, 2025, a figure he described as the highest daily collection in the Customs’ 135-year history. The Command, it was gathered, had collected N1trillion revenue as at last week. This gives a strong indication that the Command is coasting well to meet its 2025 revenue target of about N2.7trillion.
Anti-smuggling War
In its anti-smuggling operations, the Command has recorded massive seizures in the past few months. About two weeks ago, the Command announced seizures of pharmaceuticals and expired margarine products which Duty Paid Value (DPV) was put at N921million. This, among others, attracted the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to Lagos. At a press briefing, Adeniyi disclosed that among other items seized by the Command were 53 units of helicopter drones and 60 units of warrior drones. The seizures were recorded in Apapa Port Customs Command between January and April this year as part of the anti-smuggling efforts of the agency in keeping with Section 246 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and in exercise of powers conferred on it.
The anti-smuggling operations, Adeniyi said, yielded a total of eleven 11 seizures comprising five units of 40-foot containers, two units of 20-foot containers, four additional seizures of loosely concealed contraband items. Among the seizures were sexual enhancement medications, a development that the Customs boss described as a disturbing trend since unregulated sexual performance drugs can “pose serious health risks, including potential cardiovascular complications and harmful drug interactions when used without proper medical supervision”.
Adeniyi said, “ we have observed a sophisticated pattern of misdeclaration where importers deliberately classify pharmaceuticals as general merchandise or cosmetics. Container MRSU 3041714 declared sildenafil products as omeprazole capsules, while TCKU 6930113 concealed skin creams as cosmetic powder. This demonstrates calculated attempts to evade regulatory scrutiny”.
On the issue of diversification of contraband portfolio, Adeniyi told journalist, “the seizures reveal importers are diversifying their contraband portfolios—combining pharmaceuticals, food items, and controlled technology in systematic shipments. This suggests the emergence of organized networks with sophisticated logistics capabilities rather than isolated smuggling attempts”.
On strategic country of origin selection, Adeniyi also said, “analysis reveals a pattern in the selection of countries of origin, with many consignments originating from jurisdictions with less stringent pharmaceutical export controls. This indicates deliberate exploitation of regulatory gaps in the international supply chain”.
On the illegal importation of drones, the customs boss added, “the significant number of drone seizures (113 units across two incidents) without proper end-user certificates represents an emerging security concern beyond traditional contraband. The inclusion of communication devices suggests potential applications beyond recreational use”.
The Customs boss also expressed concerns on the financial scale of the pharmaceutical containers, adding that “between ₦140-145 million per 40ft container indicates a standardized commercial operation with established pricing structures, suggesting these are not opportunistic shipments but rather systematic business operations”.
Adeniyi revealed that the “Service has documented a concerning trend of increasing sophistication in smuggling techniques, which necessitates corresponding advancement in our enforcement methodologies”. He warned that the Service shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against the importation of items prejudicial to national security, economic prosperity, and public health”.
He solicited the continued cooperation of all stakeholders in ensuring compliance with extant import guidelines. “We urge members of the public to utilize our confidential channels for reporting suspicious shipments or import activities. Our collective vigilance remains the most effective deterrent against transnational criminal networks attempting to compromise our borders”, he said.
CGC, Stakeholders Commend Apapa Customs Command
With the glaring performance in terms of revenue generation and seizures, the Customs boss and stakeholders have been full of commendation for the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Olomu and his officers. Adeniyi during his press briefing on the seizures, said he was delighted about the performance of the Apapa Customs Command. He told journalists, “ I hereby convey formal commendation to all officers and men of the Apapa Port Command who, through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed these interceptions. “Their actions are exemplary the core values of the Service as articulated in our Code of Conduct: integrity, professionalism, and patriotism”.
He re-emphasized that the Nigeria Customs Service shall maintain an uncompromising stance on enforcement of import regulations. “We hereby serve notice to all importers, exporters, agents, and other stakeholders within the international trade environment that our intelligence network, technological capabilities, and inter-agency collaborations have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge”.
In its reaction to the seizures recorded at Apapa, the Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) equally commended the Customs for excellent performance in enforcing import regulations and revenue generation under the National Strategic Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
The Secretary of CCC, Fwdr Eugene Nweke Rff, in a press statement said it has been an exceptional performance on the part of customs leadership. According to him, the achievements in anti-smuggling operations have saved the country from consumption of unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines.
The statement reads, “The CCC acknowledges the NCS’s achievements in intercepting prohibited and restricted imports, including unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines, at the Apapa Port Command. The seizure of eleven containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦921,021,213 is a testament to the service’s commitment to national security and economic growth.
“The CCC appreciates the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and other officials for their vision and commitment to excellence. Their leadership has been instrumental in driving the service’s performance and ensuring the effective implementation of the NSEDP”.
Similarly, Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard in Lagos, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu, also applauded Olomu and his team of customs officers for efficient ports operations. Particularly, Shehu commended the Customs Command for ensuring a hitch free cargo movement of naval consignments which passed through the seaport. Speaking during a familiarization visit to the Customs Command, he described the trade facilitation feats of the Service as impressive. He appreciated the Customs collaboration each time the dockyard takes delivery of its imported items. He simply described the Customs Command team as fantastic, and called for strengthening of the existing relationship between both agencies.
Our Strategies for Success, by Olomu
On how the Apapa Customs Command has been able to collect staggering revenue in the past few months in addition to the massive seizures, the Controller, Dr. Babatunde Olomu revealed that his strategy has been to get all stakeholders to comply with trade regulations. Olomu said this is achieved through collaboration with the stakeholders at all levels. He pointed out that the successes of compliance, revenue collection and anti-smuggling were as a result of “collaborations where intelligence is gathered, processed and deployed for national economic interest and security”.
Olomu said the Command has been neck deep in its modernization agenda, particularly in the area of enforcing the Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu). He disclosed that between January to date , the Command has done well in revenue and several seizures.
Part of the strategies adopted by the Command to achieve what has been seen as a success story include regular stakeholders engagement which contributes in checking trade malpractices. The Command speaks strongly against those who try to cut corners because of the obvious consequences. Olomu believes that by putting a torchlight on the issue of cutting of corners at the ports involving importers, customs agents and even some unscrupulous officers, revenue leakages will be reduced. The Command also encourages swift handling of import documents so that they are signed out immediately. As part of the standing obligations in the para-military agency, the command warns officers against complicity with importers to commit fraudulent practices because of the obvious consequences.
About seven months ahead, Olomu is full of optimism that the Command will meet its revenue target of N2.7trillion for the year. Noting that the Command collected ₦2.3tr last year, and close to N1trillion as at last week, the Command is hopeful of meeting its annual revenue target.
The common trend preceding the 2006 port reform exercise that led to the concession of the seaports to terminal operators was ‘container flying’. For those unfamiliar with this term, it was simply an exercise in which unscrupulous importers, customs agents and few others in ports system indulged in taking containers out of the ports unprocedurally. This way, they evaded all the processes of cargo examination and subsequently payment of duties leading to delivery to the importers. Perhaps, the worst was that some of the containers could have been contraband. So, in effect, some criminals may have brought into the country offensive items, either banned drugs or weapons of mass destruction. That was the era of racketeering when some set of mafia or syndicate ruled the ports. The syndicate lasted for long before the reform exercise brought some changes at the ports. With the seaport terminals under the concessionaires who had the responsibility to account for the cargoes under their care, ‘container flying’ took a back seat. But as it is often said, bad habit dies hard. In the past few years, unscrupulous importers and customs agents have had to refocus. Instead of ‘flying containers’ and risking the consequences if apprehended, the trend has been in the area of under-declaration, concealment and underpayment. This is a common crime among traders. For those indulging in this, the customs has the responsibility of bringing the culprits to book. The Service has had the prerogative of simply collecting the appropriate duties, imposing penalties in line with the Customs Act and the importer is allowed to take his goods. This is if the items involved are trade goods, in other words, they are not contraband.
Revenue Generation, Anti- smuggling
No doubt the port reform exercise brought about some changes to all the agencies of the federal government. With roles and revenue generation shared between the concessionaires and government agencies, every agency had to hit the road running. It was time to work hard for more revenue. The sector needed to increase its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GPD). But in all this, it would appear that no agency has been under such pressure as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). In the past few years, the Service has witnessed intense pressure to generate more revenue for the federal government. The oil sector which has been the backbone of the economy has been hit by recession and the attendant dwindling revenue, a development that is impacting negatively on the national economy. This requires other sectors, including the maritime sector to do better than has been the case. Incidentally, the maritime sector is seen as the next to oil in terms of contributions to the national economy. It was this that led to the present focus of the federal, state governments on the Customs Service. And sincerely, the Service has indeed not failed to do well in this regard. It has continued to increase revenue generation every year. It has been a national service in which strong measures have been put in place to address leakages of the past.
Apapa Customs Revenue
As the premier port and the biggest of all the seaports in Nigeria, Apapa port occupies a special position in the scheme of things in the country. It generates the highest cargo traffic as well as revenue for the federal government. About 60 percent of customs annual revenue comes from the seaport. This means a lot of task for the Customs Command. To be able to meet up with the expectations of the federal government, the Customs Command led by Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, has had to introduce stern measures. This has been in line with the mission of the management team of the Customs led by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR to bring about lasting reform that promotes trade facilitation, efficiency, revenue generation and anti-smuggling. Adeniyi’s known vision in the customs is ”modernization, enhanced revenue generation, and improved trade facilitation”. Following this, the Command has recorded impressive revenue generation and massive seizures that have nearly shut the doors against smuggling and all manner of those into fraudulent practices at the ports. This is evident with the revenue and seizures recorded in the past few months.
Impressive Revenue Record
As at the first quarter of the year, the Command announced a revenue generation of N753.8bn. Comptroller Olomu disclosed this when members of the House Committee on Customs led by Hon Leke Abejide visited the port. Olomu said the figure showed 54 percent increase higher than what was realized during the same period last year. Specifically, the amount is N205bn higher than the N489bn generated during the first quarter of 2024. Olomu told the visiting federal lawmakers that the Command received N18.9bn on March 14, 2025, a figure he described as the highest daily collection in the Customs’ 135-year history. The Command, it was gathered, had collected N1trillion revenue as at last week. This gives a strong indication that the Command is coasting well to meet its 2025 revenue target of about N2.7trillion.
Anti-smuggling War
In its anti-smuggling operations, the Command has recorded massive seizures in the past few months. About two weeks ago, the Command announced seizures of pharmaceuticals and expired margarine products which Duty Paid Value (DPV) was put at N921million. This, among others, attracted the Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to Lagos. At a press briefing, Adeniyi disclosed that among other items seized by the Command were 53 units of helicopter drones and 60 units of warrior drones. The seizures were recorded in Apapa Port Customs Command between January and April this year as part of the anti-smuggling efforts of the agency in keeping with Section 246 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and in exercise of powers conferred on it.
The anti-smuggling operations, Adeniyi said, yielded a total of eleven 11 seizures comprising five units of 40-foot containers, two units of 20-foot containers, four additional seizures of loosely concealed contraband items. Among the seizures were sexual enhancement medications, a development that the Customs boss described as a disturbing trend since unregulated sexual performance drugs can “pose serious health risks, including potential cardiovascular complications and harmful drug interactions when used without proper medical supervision”.
Adeniyi said, “ we have observed a sophisticated pattern of misdeclaration where importers deliberately classify pharmaceuticals as general merchandise or cosmetics. Container MRSU 3041714 declared sildenafil products as omeprazole capsules, while TCKU 6930113 concealed skin creams as cosmetic powder. This demonstrates calculated attempts to evade regulatory scrutiny”.
On the issue of diversification of contraband portfolio, Adeniyi told journalist, “the seizures reveal importers are diversifying their contraband portfolios—combining pharmaceuticals, food items, and controlled technology in systematic shipments. This suggests the emergence of organized networks with sophisticated logistics capabilities rather than isolated smuggling attempts”.
On strategic country of origin selection, Adeniyi also said, “analysis reveals a pattern in the selection of countries of origin, with many consignments originating from jurisdictions with less stringent pharmaceutical export controls. This indicates deliberate exploitation of regulatory gaps in the international supply chain”.
On the illegal importation of drones, the customs boss added, “the significant number of drone seizures (113 units across two incidents) without proper end-user certificates represents an emerging security concern beyond traditional contraband. The inclusion of communication devices suggests potential applications beyond recreational use”.
The Customs boss also expressed concerns on the financial scale of the pharmaceutical containers, adding that “between ₦140-145 million per 40ft container indicates a standardized commercial operation with established pricing structures, suggesting these are not opportunistic shipments but rather systematic business operations”.
Adeniyi revealed that the “Service has documented a concerning trend of increasing sophistication in smuggling techniques, which necessitates corresponding advancement in our enforcement methodologies”. He warned that the Service shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against the importation of items prejudicial to national security, economic prosperity, and public health”.
He solicited the continued cooperation of all stakeholders in ensuring compliance with extant import guidelines. “We urge members of the public to utilize our confidential channels for reporting suspicious shipments or import activities. Our collective vigilance remains the most effective deterrent against transnational criminal networks attempting to compromise our borders”, he said.
CGC, Stakeholders Commend Apapa Customs Command
With the glaring performance in terms of revenue generation and seizures, the Customs boss and stakeholders have been full of commendation for the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Olomu and his officers. Adeniyi during his press briefing on the seizures, said he was delighted about the performance of the Apapa Customs Command. He told journalists, “ I hereby convey formal commendation to all officers and men of the Apapa Port Command who, through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed these interceptions. “Their actions are exemplary the core values of the Service as articulated in our Code of Conduct: integrity, professionalism, and patriotism”.
He re-emphasized that the Nigeria Customs Service shall maintain an uncompromising stance on enforcement of import regulations. “We hereby serve notice to all importers, exporters, agents, and other stakeholders within the international trade environment that our intelligence network, technological capabilities, and inter-agency collaborations have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge”.
In its reaction to the seizures recorded at Apapa, the Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) equally commended the Customs for excellent performance in enforcing import regulations and revenue generation under the National Strategic Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
The Secretary of CCC, Fwdr Eugene Nweke Rff, in a press statement said it has been an exceptional performance on the part of customs leadership. According to him, the achievements in anti-smuggling operations have saved the country from consumption of unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines.
The statement reads, “The CCC acknowledges the NCS’s achievements in intercepting prohibited and restricted imports, including unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines, at the Apapa Port Command. The seizure of eleven containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦921,021,213 is a testament to the service’s commitment to national security and economic growth.
“The CCC appreciates the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and other officials for their vision and commitment to excellence. Their leadership has been instrumental in driving the service’s performance and ensuring the effective implementation of the NSEDP”.
Similarly, Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard in Lagos, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu, also applauded Olomu and his team of customs officers for efficient ports operations. Particularly, Shehu commended the Customs Command for ensuring a hitch free cargo movement of naval consignments which passed through the seaport. Speaking during a familiarization visit to the Customs Command, he described the trade facilitation feats of the Service as impressive. He appreciated the Customs collaboration each time the dockyard takes delivery of its imported items. He simply described the Customs Command team as fantastic, and called for strengthening of the existing relationship between both agencies.
Our Strategies for Success, by Olomu
On how the Apapa Customs Command has been able to collect staggering revenue in the past few months in addition to the massive seizures, the Controller, Dr. Babatunde Olomu revealed that his strategy has been to get all stakeholders to comply with trade regulations. Olomu said this is achieved through collaboration with the stakeholders at all levels. He pointed out that the successes of compliance, revenue collection and anti-smuggling were as a result of “collaborations where intelligence is gathered, processed and deployed for national economic interest and security”.
Olomu said the Command has been neck deep in its modernization agenda, particularly in the area of enforcing the Unified Customs Management System (B’Odogwu). He disclosed that between January to date , the Command has done well in revenue and several seizures.
Part of the strategies adopted by the Command to achieve what has been seen as a success story include regular stakeholders engagement which contributes in checking trade malpractices. The Command speaks strongly against those who try to cut corners because of the obvious consequences. Olomu believes that by putting a torchlight on the issue of cutting of corners at the ports involving importers, customs agents and even some unscrupulous officers, revenue leakages will be reduced. The Command also encourages swift handling of import documents so that they are signed out immediately. As part of the standing obligations in the para-military agency, the command warns officers against complicity with importers to commit fraudulent practices because of the obvious consequences.
About seven months ahead, Olomu is full of optimism that the Command will meet its revenue target of N2.7trillion for the year. Noting that the Command collected ₦2.3tr last year, and close to N1trillion as at last week, the Command is hopeful of meeting its annual revenue target.
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