Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, assumed duty of the Command within the first week of May 2024.

The unprecedented milestones recorded from that time to date have dazed maritime stakeholders, energized the Management of the Service and challenged his colleagues to buckle up and achieve the Key Performance Indicators, KPIs, as spelt out by the Comptroller General of the Service, CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi-whose two year leadership of the Service has repositioned and put the Customs of Nigeria on the global stage as a bride courted and sought after by nations of the world.

Cool, calm and unruffled, Comptroller Olomu’s candour coupled with his open door policy in addition to constant engagement with stakeholders in the industry are part of reasons for the feat recorded under his leadership.

Unfazed by the revenue haul at the Command, the CAC declared “Our record-breaking achievement of ₦18.9b daily collection on Friday, March 14 , 2025 is the beginning of greater things to come. We are not lowering our guard in the fight against smuggling as our officers are ever ready to detect concealments, under declaration, false declaration and other antics perpetrated to evade duty” he said.

Port users such as importers and exporters of cargo are delighted by Olomu’s leadership style. This has led to improved compliance culminating in higher revenue for the Command and the NCS.

The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, fascinated and captivated by developments at the Command, had to visit  to see things for themselves.

Chairman of the committee, Leke Abejide, after presentations by Controller Olomu, could not hide his admiration. He commended the Apapa Command management team for their efforts, tasking them not to relent but step up and do more.

What could be the reason for the rebound in Customs operations at the Apapa Command?

“When we came on board at the Apapa Command,  we preached and emphasized the need for officers and agents to enforce compliance.  There is not much increase in cargo traffic because if you check the records over the corresponding period last year, you would see  a decline in cargo traffic compared to previous years.  We made deliberate efforts to block leakages by insisting on compliance both on the part of officers as well as importers and their agents” Controller Olomu explained.

Unsurprisingly, the Apapa Command won the  awards of The best command of the year, The best command in revenue collection and the best Customs Area Controller at the recent CGC’s Awards held late last year in Abuja.

Speaking on the Awards, Controller Olomu described the CGC as a major source of inspiration who has set examples for officers of the Service to emulate.

While charging his officers and men to be vigilant and uncompromising, he also called on traders to be more compliant and law abiding. He equally urged them to report any suspicious act to the Service or any other government agency in the port for prompt action.

What more is there to say about Controller Babatunde Olomu that has not been said?

We at Maritime Nigeria are convinced that the CAC is an agent of positive change who is dedicated to national economic diversity and stability.

His pragmatism, innovative and proactive versatility with a team of dedicated officers, are not unconnected with the exploits at Apapa even as he grooms and nurture younger officers for patroitic service to country and citizens.

undoubtedly, Maritime Nigeria can authoritatively postulate that more refreshing uplifting news is brewing to erupt from the Apapa Command of the NCS owing to the pragmatic innovations and professionalism deployed by Controller Babatunde Olomu, PhD.