Apapa Customs Records ₦302.9bn Revenue In October As Mu’azu Begins Reform Drive

By Modinat Eniodunmo

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has generated ₦302.95 billion in revenue for October 2026, representing a 7.13 per cent increase over the ₦282.79 billion recorded in September.

The October collection reflects an increase of approximately ₦20.16 billion and marks another revenue performance above the ₦300 billion threshold, following the Command’s record-breaking collection of over ₦323 billion in July 2026.

The performance comes barely a month after Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu assumed office as the Customs Area Controller on September 29, 2026, with renewed emphasis on operational efficiency, stakeholder collaboration and improved service delivery.

Since taking over the Command, Mu’azu has prioritised engagement with critical stakeholders in the port community in line with the policy direction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, centred on Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation.

As part of this approach, the new CAC convened a stakeholder engagement meeting on October 5, bringing together importers, exporters, licensed Customs agents, shipping companies and terminal operators to address operational challenges affecting port users.

Key issues discussed included delays in Demand Notice processing, cargo clearance bottlenecks and other concerns affecting business operations at the port.

Mu’azu has also embarked on courtesy visits to strategic partners and stakeholders to strengthen institutional relationships, promote mutual understanding and encourage cooperation towards improving the business environment.

In a further move to enhance trade facilitation, the Command has intensified efforts to review and streamline the processing of Transire, with the aim of eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic procedures, improving inter-departmental coordination and reducing processing time.

The CAC explained that the initiative was designed to address administrative inefficiencies that expose traders to avoidable delays and hardship.

He stressed that traders should not bear the consequences of administrative lapses, adding that the Command would identify operational challenges and implement practical solutions to ensure smoother business operations.

Mu’azu also directed officers to conduct cargo examinations strictly in line with established procedures, required documentation and proper authorisation.

He warned against unnecessary, repetitive and unwarranted examinations capable of frustrating legitimate transactions, urging officers to discharge their responsibilities promptly and professionally without compromising revenue protection, regulatory compliance and national security.

The directives, according to the Command, are intended to improve cargo clearance, reduce turnaround time and create a more predictable trading environment in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Command recorded a major enforcement breakthrough with the interception of 437 sachets of Cannabis Sativa weighing 392.5 kilogrammes in two separate containers during the period under review.

The seized consignments comprised 162 sachets weighing 125 kilogrammes in container number MSKU0486747 and another 275 sachets weighing 267.5 kilogrammes in container number TEMU6149358.

The combined Duty Paid Value of the seized narcotics was put at ₦196.13 million.

The seizures were carried out through joint examinations with relevant sister agencies, reinforcing the Command’s efforts to prevent the exploitation of Nigeria’s maritime gateway for illicit activities and safeguard public health and national security.

The Apapa Area Command reiterated its commitment to sustaining revenue growth, strengthening enforcement operations and deepening stakeholder partnerships to improve port efficiency.

It added that under Mu’azu’s leadership, the Command would continue to balance revenue generation and national security with the need to facilitate legitimate trade and support economic growth.