By Gabriel Ewepu and Emma Ujah, Chief of the Abuja Bureau
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, announced yesterday in Abuja that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported N7.28 trillion in revenue for the fiscal year 2025.
Speaking during the Time Release Study (TRS) official launch and International Customs Day celebration, Adeniyi stated that the Service has surpassed its 2025 revenue target of N6.58 trillion by N697 billion, or more than 10% growth.
Revenue increased by N1.18 trillion, or 19% year over year, compared to N6.1 trillion in 2024.
In addition to revenue, the head of Customs stated that the Service had over 2,500 seizures totaling more than N59 billion. These seizures included drugs, counterfeit medications, wildlife products, weapons and ammunition, petroleum products, automobiles, and inferior consumer items.
The theme of International Customs Day, “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment,” was mirrored in these enforcement activities, he added, pointing out that officers broke up illicit supply chains before they reached communities.
Customs found 16 containers of illegal commodities totaling more over N10 billion at the Apapa Port alone. These items included concealed weapons, pharmaceuticals that had expired, and narcotics.
Over 1,600 exotic birds that were being smuggled without permits were stopped by officials at airports, and illegal substances, fake medications, and ammunition were seized during land border operations.
Adeniyi stated, “These operations may not make headlines for long, but their impact is enduring—fewer young people exposed to drugs, fewer weapons reaching criminals, and fewer counterfeit medicines harming patients.”
He emphasized that rather than burdening lawful traders, the income increases were attained through enhanced compliance, digital technologies, better data utilization, and disciplined enforcement.
Adeniyi described the Time Release Study as a step toward evidence-based, data-driven trade reforms and expressed optimism that it would drastically cut Nigeria’s projected N2 trillion in revenue losses. He pointed out that poor inter-agency cooperation, manual recordkeeping, and disjointed scheduling are frequently the causes of excessive clearance delays.
According to Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Finance, the TRS would help the federal government’s strategy for ease of doing business, improve Nigeria’s economic environment, and boost competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Speaking as well, House Committee Chairman on Customs Hon. Leke Abejide called for increased interagency cooperation to cut down on port and border clearance delays, while World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary-General Ian Saunders praised the improvements and promised WCO’s support.
