How Apapa Customs Generated N350Bn

By Ajibola Abayomi,

Lagos

The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service has disclosed that the command  made a total of three hundred and fifty billion, nine hundred and seventy-eight million, four hundred and eleven thousand, eight hundred and fourteen naira and sixty-four kobo only (N350, 978,411,814.64) as revenue  for 2017.

A statement from the command indicates that last year’s total collection translates to 99.01% of the annual target for the year.

This is however, showing an increase in revenue performance over the previous year 2016 by N50,997, 346,214 representing 14.5 percent growth comparatively.

A breakdown of the revenue collection for the year 2016 and 2017 is presented below starting from January to December 2016 and   2017 side by side.

• January  2016:   23,476,370,003.00. January 2017:    25,958,919,218.73
• February 2016:    19,756,988,135.00,  February:2017  24,767,582,067.43
• March 2016:    18,477,738,488.00,    March 2017: 26,713,144,429.13
• April 2016:    19,256,139,768.00,   April 2017: 25,186,752,882.45
• May 2016    17,203,969,904.00,    May 2017: 33,618,220,540.24
• June 2016;    22,796,837,287.00,  June 2017:   29,498,646,970.73
• July 2016   27,405,005,184.83,    July 2017:30,958,508,169.19
• August 2016:    34,923,757,810.77, August 2017:  32,104,450,170.46
• September 2016;    32,947,903,912.38,   September 2017: 28,041,289,644.00
•  October  2016:   27,756,404,585.07  . October 2017  31,800,442,408.75
• November 2016:    28,667,636,206.28, November 2017:   36,227,934,752.96
• December 2016    27,312,314,317.06 December 2017   26,102,520,560.57
• Grand Total    299,981,065,601.39    350,978,411,814.64

The statement attested to the  leadership prowess of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Musa Jibril who led the Command to block all revenue leakages while enhancing trade facilitation and security.

On the fight against smuggling, the command recorded total of twenty- four (24) detentions including containers of different items such as frozen fish, medicament, pharmaceuticals and other goods.

According to the command seven of the detained containers carrying pharmaceuticals have since been handed over to Nationa Agency for Food and Drug Administration Commission (NAFDAC) for further investigation and possible prosecution while 3X20FT containers of wet blue contravened the provisions of schedule 6 of Common External Tariff (CET) were among the seizures.

On export, the Command recorded a total of about 244,817 metric tons of exports with FOB value of about N42,678,771,538.70 .This is higher than the  N88,115.4 metric tons of export with an FOB value of (#52,509,676.04) that were exported through the port in year 2016.

The Controller described his Unit’s relationship with other governmental and non-governmental agencies as very cordial in the Apapa Area Command.

”In fact, this collaboration became even more robust with the introduction of the Presidential Order on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria which demands that all Government Agencies now come under the same platform (Central Examination Centre) to interface and perform their various duties in order to enhance operational efficiency and curtailing unnecessary delays in the cargo clearance chain.

”Stakeholder Engagement in the previous year assumed a very high dimension in that, stakeholders now meet with the CAC and his management team on monthly basis to address issues of common concern. This has greatly reduced delays as stakeholders are now better informed” he said.