N489.6b Revenue Posted as Q1 Revenue

Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, CAC, Apapa

Maritime stakeholders are divided on the Q1 report as released by the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, who has disclosed that the sum of N489.6b was realized as revenue  by the Command from January to March, 2024.

According to Abubakar Usman, Chief Superintendent of Customs and spokesperson of the Command, the N489,614,095,022.15 total revenue collected for the first quarter of 2024, is over a hundred per cent higher than the  N212.5b collected same period of 2023.

Speaking with our reporters on the Comand’s Q1 report, maritime stakeholders said beyond commending officers of the Command and calling for greater cooperation/compliance from port users, the Command’s CAC was very reserved in words on operational issues at the Command.

Is revenue the central focus of the Nigeria Customs Service one stakeholder asked?

“What has the Apapa Command done to achieve the figure announced in the areas of Trade Facilitation, Anti-Smuggling, Export Promotion and Inter Agency collaboration? Has the Command being working is isolation, indifferent to what other government agencies are doing or going through within the Apapa area”? another port user wanted to know.

“The almost N2trillion target the command is expected to collect in 2024 is attainable through diligently abiding by the service books of instructions like the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023, government import/export prohibition lists, Common External Tariff and Federal Government approved Standard Operating Procedures” the Command PRO said.

If this is all there is to it in Revenue collection, Customs job is portrayed as simple and very un-tasking.

We want to believe there is a more detailed report presented to management of the NCS as the press release by the Command seems not to be compliant to recent template as seen. The Q1 2024 report from Apapa is either in deference to orders from Abuja or done in haste for reasons unidentified.

Part of the report from the Command on its 2024 Q1 report by the CAC reads:

“I want to urge all stakeholders in Apapa Port to keep supporting us in achieving an efficient system where everyone plays by the rules to achieve smoother, seamless, and faster import/export cargo clearance

“Making honest declaration puts the declarant at a vantage position to have a credible reputation and enjoy the benefits that come with earned integrity such as fast track and possible migration to the authorized economic operator (AEO)

“Such attitude of compliance saves time and money as examination officers would find the cargo less cumbersome to process and other units of the service including sister government organizations would not need to flag such cargo for seizure or arrest of the importers/exporters. The cargo gets cleared on time, and payments for penalties after demand notices are not necessary as no DN is issued on compliant import/export.

“I will continue my weekly engagement of stakeholders at various levels to sustain the tempo of our achievements and consolidate on the gains from regular enlightenment of every member of the port community.

“As we step into the second quarter to end the first half of 2024, I am convinced we will do better in revenue collection, facilitate more trade through our port and prevent smuggling under any guise” the CAC said

While some stakeholders opined that the CAC said it all others are of the view that Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba left a lot unsaid in his Q1 2024 report.