Apapa Customs Hits Bull’s Eye, Collects N201B July ’24

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service recorded a staggering collection of the sum of N201,853,406,964.61 for the month of July 2024.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu Ph.D fsi while briefing the press on the command’s spectacular performance said the figure is the highest in the history of revenue receipts by the command, and is over and above the total collection made by the Command for the year 2023.
The Papa Command new sheriff assured that all things being equal, the command is focused to maintain the trajectory for the upcoming months.
Comptroller Olomu added that the command raked in a total of N1,227,431,323,016.24 between January and July 2024, which is over and above the figure recorded within the corresponding period of 2023 by N1,172,414,793,960.32.
He attributed the feat to the resolve of the command to key into the Time Release Study (TRS) as introduced by the Comptroller General of Customs.
Speaking on the command’s activities said,”For the first seven months of 2024, that is January to July this year, the Apapa Area Command generated a total of N1,227,431,323,016.24.
“What has been generated so far for seven months is above the total collected revenue by the command in 2023 which was N1,172,414,793,960.32.
“In clear terms, our 2024 seven months collection is above last year’s twelve months total collection.”
He explained that the port was operational during the protest noting that activities was only low on the first day of the protest and picked up progressively in the days following; even as he revealed that all units of the command remain fully active and running.
“Worthy of note is the interventions from the Tariff and Trade Department which has contributed immensely to the successes achieved thus far. Our compliance desk, dispute resolution team, Valuation, PCA, CIU and other units aimed at promoting seamless trade have been reinvigorated with daily,weekly and monthly evaluation by my office to oversee the progress we are making.
“We are committed to doing more in line with the directives and motivating examples of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR dsm psc (+).”
Highlighting the economic status of the command and the level of the combined collaboration of relevant sister agencies expected to be brought to bear on its the ports operation, notes that everything is working for good.
“Apapa Command handles the highest volume of trade for the NCS, collects the highest revenue and therefore is saddled with a higher degree of expectation from the management of the service and the government.
“The command is also enjoying the support of sister government agencies and cooperation of compliant port users. Recall that I met with our stakeholders before the commencement of the nationwide protests to assure them of customs availability for work during the period.
“I am pleased to note that the turn up has been encouraging and work has been going on unhindered.”
He warned traders and port users to ensure they play by the rules or have themselves to blame.
“Let me advise our port users to embrace only legitimate trade and restate that this command is more alive to its responsibilities to detect all forms of concealment and plug any avenue for revenue leakage to the barest minimum.