New Dawn of Revenue Security at Seme Customs Command

…As Stakeholders Applaud Adenuga’s Drive to Raise Compliance

BY FUNMI ALUKO

Barely seventy days into his deployment, the Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Border, Comptroller Wale Adenuga has ushered in what stakeholders are calling a new dawn of revenue security at the Seme Area Command. According to the border port users and players, his leadership has not only revitalized cargo clearance operations but also tackled the long standing menace of illegal checkpoints along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.

Speaking on behalf of the freight forwarders and licensed customs brokers, Secretary of Institutional Relationship for the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association, Mr. Austine Nwosu, described Comptroller Adenuga as a transformative leader and an agent of change.

Nwosu who double as Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in a chat with our reporter said Seme Border is undergoing positive trans-border trade re-engineering, focused on developmental growth and national security.

The customs broker said Adenuga has transformed trade facilitation as a weapon against smuggling.

According to him, Adenuga’s approach which is rooted in the World Customs Organization’s framework on trade facilitation, emphasizes seamless cargo movement and honest declarations.

Freight forwarders, including the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF),Badagry Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACIMA) commended his insistence on 100% physical examination of consignments, which is conducted jointly with relevant agencies.

The stakeholders argued that smuggling thrives when trade is slow; by accelerating legitimate processes, Adenuga has reduced incentives for illicit activity.

Nwosu explained that Adenuga’s arrival literally set the pace for the application of the B’Odogwu digital platform, noting it has transformed border operations and that agents can now capture declarations, make payments through multiple banks (beyond the previously limited Polaris Bank), and clear goods without delay.

His words: “I can say that since he arrived in September, he brought what l can say is B’Odogwu which is the current platform in use with unique features. So we have unboarded to B’Odogwu since he came and we are operating on that platform. The CAC has encouraged legal and honest declaration as the only shortest distance to trade facilitation.

“What this simply means is ‘capture through B’Odogwu, do your declaration, go to any bank and make your payment. Before now it was just Polaris Bank we were using until Adenuga came and opened it up through the application of B’Odogwu. Once your declaration and payment is made, you can take your goods anytime, anywhere.

“Each truck now carries its own declaration tied to its registration number, eliminating loopholes in group documentation”, he said.

Speaking further, he explained that one of Adenuga’s most significant achievements is the reestablishment of joint security meetings, noting the collaboration has significantly reduced the proliferation of illegal checkpoints that previously disrupted trade and human traffic along the corridor.

The stakeholders also report smoother transit and improved integrity of trade flows, a development seen as critical to restoring confidence in the Lagos–Abidjan route.

This is even as the Deputy Comptroller of Revenue, DC Olojo, confirmed that the command’s monthly revenue has surged beyond ₦1.5 billion, attributing the growth to Adenuga’s trade friendly policies. The DC Revenue said the emphasis on transparency and compliance has encouraged agents to contribute more consistently to government coffers.

Stakeholders believe that once the Sigmat regional customs integration system is fully operational, revenue security will be further strengthened.

On physical examination of cargo, Nwosu said the Smith scanning machine at Seme remains nonfunctional, forcing reliance on manual examinations.

“For now we are having challenges with the Scanning machine in Seme, what we have here is Smith Scanning Machine managed by them. We understand that Smith will always come all the way from France for repairs and maintenance and after series of such maintenance the scanner packed up. Since then it has been manual examination”, Nwosu said.

The continued ban on vehicle and rice imports through the border is seen by stakeholders as counterproductive, fueling smuggling through illegal routes and depriving government of potential revenue.

According to Nwosu, “Unfortunately, the continued ban on landing of vehicles and rice through Seme Border doesn’t stand up to logic anymore because there are thousands of illegal routes that supports smuggling of these items and government is losing revenues that should be coming in if these items are documented and declared.

“So one can say that the purpose of the ban has been defeated and it is presently serving no just cause but serving illegal, informal business interest.”

On the new face of Seme Border, the customs brokerage and freight forwarding community describes Adenuga as a transformative leader whose innovations have restored Seme’s reputation as a bustling hub of legitimate trade.

They also believe that with improved collaboration across borders, enhanced digital platforms, and a firm stance against illegal checkpoints, the Seme Customs Command is positioning itself as a model for revenue security and trade facilitation in West Africa.