Apapa Customs Command Generates N86bn Revenue In October

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), says it collected a total of ₦86.02bn as revenue for the month of October, despite initial glitches that slowed its operations

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, gave the figure in a statement signed by Abubakar Usman, Public Relations Officer of the Command, on Friday in Lagos.

According to Yusuf, the tempo of increased revenue collection is being sustained through the volume of trade, strategies raising stakeholders’ compliance level, and inter-agency collaboration between the Command and other government agencies.

“A breakdown of the total collection shows federation and non-federation figures.

“Figures under the federation account are as follows: Import duty at ₦38,436,536,897.00; Excise duty at ₦199,038,533.00; CET Levy at ₦5,625,077,502.00; and Fees at ₦401,830,622.00, with a sub total of N44, 662,483,554. 00.

“Figures for the Non-federation Account are as follows: Port Levy at ₦2,690,572,938.00; NAC at ₦165,872,139.00; 1 per cent CISS at ₦4,612,963,465.00; 0.5% ETLS at ₦2,688,286,656.00; Sugar Levy at ₦598,518,814.00; Wheat Flour Levy at ₦488,959.00.

“Others are; Iron Levy at ₦47,220,994.00; Wheat Grain Levy at ₦7,892,567,890.00; Ness Levy at ₦102,989,524.77, with a sub-total of ₦18,799,481,379.77.

“For Value Added Tax, the command collected ₦22,560,783,616.00 leading to a grand total of ₦86,022,748,549.77,” he said.

The comptroller commended port users and stakeholders for their increasing level of compliance, urging them to continually avoid unlawful activities such as concealment with intent to smuggle; false declaration and under valuation to evade accurate duty payments.

According to him, any importation that runs contrary to the provisions of Sections 46 and 47 of Customs and Excise Management Act CAP C45 LFN 2004 and Customs and Excise Notices No.1491, will not be allowed into the country.

Yusuf noted that the command would not compromise wherever and whenever the need arises to make arrests and seizures for infractions deserving of such actions.

He directed the command’s Compliance Team to maintain their zero tolerance for infractions, as a way of protecting the national economy.

The CAC described the inter-agency collaboration between the Apapa Customs Command and other government agencies as an operational masterstroke, yielding great results.

Yusuf lauded the sustained intelligence sharing between the command and sister agencies like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Police, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army and others.

He attributed the recent joint seizures of 32.9kg of cocaine uncovered in a vessel, MV Cha Yanee Naree, in Apapa Port in October and 74.119kg of captagon pills, hidden in various components of machine parts, which was seized in September to intelligence sharing.

The CAC stated that only importers and agents who either want to smuggle or evade duty payments would fault the command and its growing synergy with other agencies, which was strengthened through collaboration.

He advised all importers and agents to take advantage of the one-stop shop compliance and dispute resolution mechanism, aimed at achieving trade facilitation without compromising national revenue and security.