By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief & Gabriel Ewepu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has declared a total revenue of N7.28 trillion for the fiscal year 2025, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed yesterday in Abuja.
Speaking at the International Customs Day celebration and the official launch of the Time Release Study (TRS), Adeniyi said the Service exceeded its 2025 revenue target of N6.58 trillion by N697 billion, representing over 10 percent growth.
Compared to 2024 collections of N6.1 trillion, revenue rose by N1.18 trillion, a 19 percent year-on-year increase.
Beyond revenue, the Customs boss said the Service recorded over 2,500 seizures valued at more than N59 billion, cutting across narcotics, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, wildlife products, arms and ammunition, petroleum products, vehicles and substandard consumer goods.
He said these enforcement actions reflected the theme of the International Customs Day, “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment”, noting that officers disrupted criminal supply chains before they reached communities.
At the Apapa Port alone, Customs uncovered 16 containers of prohibited goods worth over N10 billion, including narcotics, expired drugs and concealed firearms.
At airports, officers intercepted over 1,600 exotic birds trafficked without permits, while land border operations led to the seizure of illicit drugs, counterfeit medicines and ammunition.
“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,” Adeniyi said.
He stressed that the revenue gains were achieved through improved compliance, digital tools, better data use and disciplined enforcement, rather than burdening legitimate traders.
Adeniyi expressed optimism that the launch of the Time Release Study would significantly reduce Nigeria’s estimated N2 trillion revenue losses, describing it as a move toward evidence-based, data-driven trade reforms. He noted that excessive clearance delays often result from fragmented scheduling, manual documentation and poor inter-agency coordination.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the TRS would enhance Nigeria’s business environment, strengthen competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area, and support the federal government’s ease-of-doing-business agenda.
Also speaking, Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Ian Saunders, commended the reforms and pledged WCO’s support, while House Committee Chairman on Customs, Hon. Leke Abejide, urged stronger inter-agency collaboration to reduce clearance delays at ports and borders.
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