The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it has generated over N2.3trillion revenue into the federation account from January to December 19th, 2021.
Speaking yesterday during NCS stakeholders/media engagement on trade facilitation held at the Apapa command of the service, the deputy national public relations officer, Timi Bomodi, said the service has surpassed the revenue target given to them by the federal government.
Bomodi, who said the service was given revenue target of N1.687trillion further disclosed that the Apapa and Tin-Can Island Commands of the service are the generated highest revenue for the service.
“I don’t have the actual figure off hand but, I can confirm to you that we have generated over N2.3trillion meaning we have surpassed our revenue target of N1.687trillion for the year. As usual the year began with high expectations with regards to revenue generation and the enforcement of fiscal policy.”
“Based on the target achieved in 2020, the service was given the onerous task of collecting N1.679trillion into the Federation account. It was also expected to build on the successes of the border closure to stem the tide of illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, smuggling and other cross border crimes.”
“In all its key performance indexes, the Service was able to achieve remarkable successes through the diligence and hard work of its officers and the support of key stakeholders. In the current year, the NCS has already exceeded expectations in revenue generation by going beyond the target set for it by the government.”
Bomodi, however, disclosed that the service also made landmark seizures of prohibited items which include ammunition, pangolin scales as well as foreign parboiled rice smuggled from neighbouring West-African countries.
His words, “In August, the Service made seizures of 17,137 kg of pangolin scales, 44 kg elephant tusks and 60 kg in pangolin claws all valued at over N22 billion. This was made possible through active collaboration between NCS, US, British, and German officials who helped in tracking the suspicious shipment. It further led to the arrest and prosecution of some foreign nationals and their local collaborators.”
“In October, FOU operatives in Zone A seized 751 bullets concealed in garri sacks, while arms, ammunition and military uniforms were intercepted at Tin Can port Lagos in September 2021 just to mention a few. Our warehouses in all border formations are overflowing with seizures of rice, groundnut oil, used clothing, used vehicles etc.”
“At Apapa Area one Command, through the cooperation of other sister agencies and the Nigerian Navy a landmark seizure of cocaine with a DPV of 54 million dollars was made. This seizure was unique for the fact that the illicit substance was found in one of the compartments of a bulk carrier of sugar. In the same command 97 containers carrying illicit, expired drugs and other offensive goods with a duty paid value (DPV) of N17.5 billion was seized.”
“These numerous arrests and seizures are daily features in the activities of Customs officers nationwide, and they underscore the fact that we operate in a highly non-compliant environment. Indeed officers ang men of the NCS have made the supreme sacrifice for the nation and they remain resolute in safeguarding the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, the Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta noted that the Service has deployed a lot of tools to ensure that trade is being facilitated at Apapa.
“One of the tools is the use of fast track to ensure that people take their cargoes out of the ports without accumulating demurrage. We organized a one-stop-shop for conflicts to be resolved amicably. Government is also trying to ensure the return of scanners, all these are activities to facilitate trade,” the Area Controller said.
However, he stressed that it’s only when there is high level compliance that trade can be facilitated.
“People have to comply by declaring the actual cargoes they are carrying, the correct duty and origin as well as actual value of the cargoes. These are the qualities that make one a compliant trader and that’s the basis for trade facilitation,” he said.
Speaking on benchmarking goods, he said: “We don’t have benchmarks, but we have a data range. We look at an importers transaction history for the last two to three years. If you have imported the same product or similar product, we check how much value you calculated in the past. If you try to undervalue, we would compare with the value range based on your transaction history.”
“Benchmark is a price given from the Ministry of Trade. Sometimes, it’s also a value set by the manufacturers because they give us the value of the products in the market. Please be guided because there is a difference between benchmark and value range.”
“In valuation we also have a chart known as value chart. The chart is done in a discounting method. If the value of a Prado vehicle is a given price in 2021, in 2020 a 10% discount would be there and it goes that way until when the car is 15 years old.”
