By Augustine Ehikioya
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its positive impact on the nation’s economy.
He made the remark through the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu during the 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference held in Abuja.
The theme of the conference was “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,”
He said “Central to the success of these economic initiatives is the role of our strategic institutions and their dedicated personnel. Our vision required government agencies to proactively align their statutory responsibilities with the broader national economic objectives.
“Agencies needed to demonstrate initiative in identifying opportunities within their mandates that would best serve and advance our national aspirations.
“I am pleased to note that the Nigeria Customs Service is one of the agencies that has risen to this expectation, demonstrating how government institutions can effectively contribute to our economic transformation agenda while fulfilling their core mandates.”
Earlier, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, revealed that its revenue collection for 2024 has surpassed its annual target for the year, with still over 6 weeks to the end of the year.
According to him, the NCS has collected N5.7 trillion in revenue as of Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Attributing collaboration as a key to their recent success, he further said that the revenue boost was also as a result of strategic engagements and collaborative approaches.
The CG said “Our strategic engagements and collaborative approaches have yielded remarkable results across our core statutory responsibilities.
“I am pleased to announce that, as of 12 November 2024 at exactly 13:10 Hrs, the NCS hit its 2024 revenue target of NGN 5.07tn, collecting NGN5.079tn with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year,” Adeniyi stated.
He also highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to improve trade efficiency, including the selection of six participants for its Authorised Economic Operators program.
This, he said, aims to streamline customs processes for trusted traders.
He disclosed that the NCS processed 21 advance ruling requests, which was a program designed to speed up decisions on import and export procedures before cargo arrives at Nigerian ports.
The Comptroller-General also gave credit to improvements from the NCS’s time release study, an initiative focused on reducing port congestion and achieving 24-hour cargo clearance.
He also commended Operation Whirlwind, a joint effort involving the National Security Adviser’s office and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, aimed at combatting fuel smuggling, which is a pressing issue for Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking further as a representative of the President, Malam Ribadu, said that in less than two years in office, the administration has received over $30 billion in commitments from foreign investors.
This achievement, he said, demonstrated that the governments policies are yielding positive results, and making Nigeria increasingly attractive for domestic and international investors.
He said “This alignment is demonstrated in the Service’s comprehensive modernisation agenda. Responding to our administration’s call for enhanced trade facilitation and economic growth, the Service has introduced significant reforms, including the Advanced Ruling system and the Authorised Economic Operator Program.
“These initiatives align with global best practices and show how agencies can innovatively implement solutions that advance our national economic objectives while meeting international standards. Such reforms enhance trade facilitation and create a more predictable business environment that supports our broader financial goals.
“The results of these initiatives across the Service’s core mandates have been encouraging. The Nigeria Customs Service has shown remarkable progress in revenue generation, enhancing the government’s capacity to fund critical national development projects.
“The Service is strengthening Nigeria’s position as a trade-friendly nation through strategic reforms, particularly in export promotion and port efficiency. This has contributed significantly to our improved global ranking and ease of doing business.
“The Service has also demonstrated that effective trade facilitation can coexist with robust regulatory compliance, as evidenced by its enhanced border security and anti-smuggling operations. These achievements affirm our administration’s belief that public institutions can effectively drive transformative change when adequately aligned with national objectives.” he said
The President went on “While these results are encouraging, they represent only the beginning of what we can achieve through focused institutional reforms and alignment with national objectives. It is, therefore, fitting that this conference centres on the theme “NCS Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose.”
“This theme reflects our administration’s broader vision of fostering strategic partnerships and collaborative approaches to governance and economic management. It acknowledges that sustainable progress in today’s interconnected global economy requires us to strengthen existing alliances while building new ones, always guided by clear purpose and shared objectives.
“Let me assure you that our administration remains committed to supporting the Nigeria Customs Service in its modernisation and reform initiatives. We will continue to provide the necessary policy backing and enablement to strengthen the Service’s capacity to deliver on its mandates.
“This includes support for technological advancement, infrastructure development, and capacity-building programs that align with global best practices.
” As you convene for your deliberations over the next few days, I urge you to build upon these foundations with clear cognisance of our regional and continental obligations. Your discussions should be timely and strategic, considering Nigeria’s role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and our position as West Africa’s largest economy.
“Focus on innovative approaches to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones to advance our national interests within this expanding trade landscape. Your deliberations should chart a path for enhancing our trade processes and compliance frameworks in ways that position Nigeria to maximise the opportunities presented by regional and continental integration while maintaining robust border security.
“The outcomes of this conference should provide a clear roadmap for achieving these objectives in line with our national economic aspirations.” he stated.
