Apapa Port: Appraising Olomu’s 6-Point Agenda

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Historians like to remind us about the human talkas per the state of the human mind, how it often works  in an uncertain, unreliable, and sometimes reckless and or revere order,  knowingly and at other times unknowingly, in line with promises and declarations.

Above condition has led skeptics into propounding the theory of the ‘cheap talk’ or ‘talk is cheap’ as it is more often expressed, to gauge promises we make; whether in private or in official capacity.

In May 2024 after Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi, assumed duty as the new Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Port Command, he listed six key operational areas his administration will focus on to efficiently steer the affairs of the premier port in keeping with the national interest, more so, especially in terms of the port’s expanded role in the west African sub region.

Speaking after receiving the Service’s flag , which serves as the baton of leadership transfer from his predecessor, Comptroller Jide Jaiyeoba, Olomu remarked that Nigeria holds a strategic trading position in the West and Central Africa region and explained the criticality of Apapa Port in the realization of all the sub regional economic mandates such as those that aligns with the African Continental free Trade Area (fCFTA) framework.

“We are reviving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large. As you may be aware, the management of the service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of the many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR dsm psc (+)”, he said.

Closely related to above, he explained that officers and men of the command also have a duty to pursue vigorously ongoing customs modernization and prescribed tools of trade and conventions by global trading partners including the World Customs Organization (WCO); as the second pillar of focus in his list of priorities.

“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernization, otherwise called e-customs, the AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organization (WCO) innovations like the recently introduced Advanced Ruling Policy (ARP).

“This will enable us to enjoy more gains of trading across borders in the global supply chain in line with the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), the WCO Supply Chain Management Guidelines, and the various national best practices.”

Third on the agenda is the promotion of stakeholders’ partnership and engagement, tailored after the CGC’s own agenda, stressing the importance of achieving an interactive stakeholders’ community in the overall goal of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“Being the customs command handling the largest volume of trade in Nigeria, Apapa Command under my leadership won’t be complacent and will be open to continuous engagement with everyone. My doors are open for advice on how best to achieve our mandate because we are all here to add value and do better.”

Olomu also prescribed a framework of efficient work culture which officers and men must adopt as an overriding principles that is expected to help achieve set goals and results. He explained that this will enhance stakeholders’-officers and men’s work outlook as a collective attitude to improve best practices.

Similarly, the then new Apapa Customs boss listed the setting up of a functional trade dispute resolution desk which he said will hand trade disputes towards enthroning civilized and satisfactory interventions.

His words, ““I shall set up a trade dispute resolution seat that will operate every day including weekends to ensure that we make this Command a true front liner in global best practices in terms of customs operation for other customs formations to emulate.”

Olomu urged officers and men of the command to redouble their diligence and commitment in all areas of responsibilities, noting that the NCS core tasks must be treated as a whole, noting that he is confident that team spirit will lead and prevail as failure is not an option.

“I see my task as CAC Apapa Command as a serious assignment from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,, MFR dsm psc (+) of which our only option is to deliver diligently not only in revenue collection, fight against smuggling, but in trade facilitation and sustainable stakeholder engagement.

“My assumption of this office is with a mind of confidence that we won’t betray the trust reposed in us by the FGN, the CGC and the entire management of the Nigeria Customs Service. This confidence is premised on the reality that I am taking over a very organized command, where I intend to build on the successes of my predecessor.”

A product of intellectual powerhouse, with special grooming and understanding of the customs headquarters mindset, Olomu proceeded within the weeks that followed to set an ambitious N200 billion monthly revenue collection target for the command.

To achieve above, together with his principal officers including then Deputy Comptroller Wale Adenuga, now a full comptroller, Olomu designed a monitoring and tactical interventions, tied to robust stakeholders’ engagement and partnership.

The permutation translates to collecting N8.9 billion daily, N44 billion weekly and N193 billion monthly revenue targets for its revenue officers; while eyeing the N200 billion hit.

Speaking through the then Deputy Comptroller Revenue, DC Wale Adenuga, now full comptroller quoted Olomu as saying that everything will be subject to the rules of engagement, while giving priority to trade facilitation without compromising national security.

“We have plugged a lot of revenue leakages and made a lot of interventions which keep our revenue increasing. We are also encouraging compliant stakeholders through fast track incentives.

“We do all these without impeding trade as we do everything to facilitate genuine transactions by compliant traders. We know the high propensity of an average Nigerian trader to evade duty payment. So we do a lot of scanning and physical examinations without necessarily compromising trade facilitation.

“Because of our diligence and thoroughness in checking declarations and consignments through the use of non-intrusive technology (scanning) and physical examinations, we notice that non-compliant traders are not comfortable.”

He note that irrespective of whether or not those averse to due professional thoroughness endorse improved monitoring and enforcement, compliance shall remain an integral aspect of customs trade without apologies.

“As a result, some of them resort to blackmail and all sorts of antics to compromise and dampen the morale of our revenue officers without success. Going forward, we have blocked lots of loopholes and leakages, and that is what is enabling us to facilitate trade for compliant traders, especially those bringing in raw materials in agricultural and manufacturing.

‘While we tighten up loose ends by insisting on proper examination…even though some people don’t like thorough examination, we ensure that there are no unnecessary delays. We have seen cases some importers and their agents undermine the due process by deliberately making wrong classification of goods. They run wrong classification in order to cut corners. But we will continue to be a step ahead of them and that is why you see our revenue going up. We engaged a chemist to check out suspicious samples for us through reliable system audit. And this is done without wasting time…so these are some of the types of interventions we are bringing to bear on our operations.

“We have been able to raise a lot of queries on suspicious consignments but without wasting time and that is why importers and their agents are now making their declarations properly and honestly. So, a compliant trader has no reason to be apprehensive at all, it’s a question of two or few hours, he takes his consignment”, he said.

On alert, Olomu says it enjoys the highest level of credibility and corporate governance.  “A compliant trader has no cause for worry as there’s no alert without justification because an average Nigerian does not want to pay tax.”

A guided study of his scorecard fifteen months down the line clearly speaks to his impressive performance at making a success of his 6-point agenda.

Record Revenue Collection

He shattered previous records, generating over ₦2.357trillion in revenue in 2024 alone, an unprecedented feat that contributed significantly to the overall revenue target of the service, and consequently swelling the national coffers. In October 2024 alone, it collected ₦264.5 billion, the highest monthly revenue in the command’s history.

Between January and July 2025, the Command already generated revenue in excess of N1.5 trillion, with clear expectation to meet and surpass its annual target for the current year, all things being equal.

Anti-Smuggling Drive

Apapa became a frontline in the war against smuggling, with seizures of contraband goods—including arms, narcotics, expired and fake pharmaceuticals—valued at billions of naira.

A total of twenty seven (27) containers were seized by the command between January–June 2025, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦9.27 billion.  The seized items include unregistered pharmaceuticals, codeine syrup (concealed in toilet seats), used clothing, stolen vehicles from Canada, and wild animal skins (violating CITES).

In July 2025 alone, the command impounded 25 containers stuffed with  N9,235,402,973.00,  21 of which discovered to be laden with unregistered and therefore possibly, unsafe pharmaceuticals. This is in addition to the recovery of N1.5billion with ongoing effort to recover another N1.6billion from a bonded terminal believed to be part of a syndicate involved in drug trafficking.

Unrelenting, there are indications that the Olomu led Apapa Command currently have under its radar some numbers of containers laden with fake pharmaceutical products in addition to drugs and arms sources believe it has already built a strong dragnet to prevent their escape from the port.

Trade Facilitation

The command streamlined import/export procedures, aligning with global best practices and boosting Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business ranking. The command in response to the trade modernization drive of the management also key in fully into the adoption of a number of tools designed to streamline cargo clearance and enhance trade facilitation, such as Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) and the Advanced Ruling systems.

He also introduced weekend operations and intra-agency collaboration to reduce delays and enhance the Ease of Doing Business, which facilitated Nigeria’s first AfCFTA shipment to Kenya, and which clearly has positioned Apapa as a continental trade hub.

Digital Transformation

Like a faithful disciple, Olomu replicated at the command level, internal system cutting-edge technology deployed and championed by Adeniyi, including ICT driven-cargo profiling and blockchain-based clearance systems, reducing processing time and curbing sharp practices and fraud.

Stakeholders Engagement

Stakeholder engagement has remained a priority, with the establishment of a Trade Dispute Resolution Desk, weekend operations, and strategic consultations with freight associations, terminal operators, and regulatory bodies. The Command also revived discussions on rail cargo movement to ease port congestion. To sustain operational excellence, Comptroller Olomu launched refresher training programs for newly promoted officers and partnered with APM Terminals to train agents on the new B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System.

These achievements directly reflect the reform agenda of CGC Adewale Adeniyi, whose visionary leadership has elevated the Nigeria Customs Service’s reputation and operational standards.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

While CSR activities are less publicized, Olomu has emphasized community relations designed to promote robust customs–community interface. The CSR includes an open-door policy for feedback and inclusive governance. In the same vein the command upholds public health protection in the seizures of harmful goods framed as a moral duty to protect Nigerian lives.

Under the Command’s transparency and accountability framework, regular press briefings and stakeholder updates to build public trust are held.

Centre of Reform Pillar

On the whole it must be appreciated that the Command’s achievements directly reflect the strategic reforms championed of by customs boss, which were within the framework of his administration’s modernization ambit. These includes: Digitization, AEO, TRS, National Single Window and the full adoption of e-customs and trade facilitation tools.

It is instructive that the entire gamut of modernization processes was clinically executed under Olomu’s watch.

CGC’s Award

For his crusading roles and impressive performances, the Apapa Command won the CGC Best Command Award in Trade Facilitation and Overall Best Command in Revenue Generation in 2024.

Stewardship Rooted in Integrity and Innovation

In line with Adeniyi’s leadership style that blends discipline with diplomacy, Olomu’s stewardship has also been defined in clear cut administrative and behavioural patterns; chiseled in developmental progress and for the good of all and the industry.

Personnel Development & Stakeholder Engagement: He prioritized capacity building, ensuring officers at Apapa and beyond received training in modern customs practices. Leaning on his boss examples, Olomu fostered collaboration with port operators, freight forwarders, and regulatory agencies, creating a more transparent and accountable ecosystem.

Through consistent communication and visible results carried out under the CGC;s directive, he created public trust and restored public confidence in the Nigeria Customs Service.

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu’s leadership at Apapa Command exemplifies the transformative impact of CGC Adewale Adeniyi’s visionary reforms. Their synergy has not only elevated the Nigeria Customs Service’s operational standards but also played a pivotal role in securing Adeniyi’s extended mandate to continue reshaping the Service into a globally respected institution.

Like he always say, his success story is one of a team play, ably supported by his loyal, committed and hardworking deputies without who, perhaps, a percentage of the scorecard would be missing.

Co-Mission Drivers

Standing by Olomu and actively supporting to drive the CGC’s vision were his principal officers who not only shared in the dream and vision, but availed themselves as loyal, devoted, reliable and truth worthy lieutenants.

On the roll call of honour is former the immediate past Deputy Comptroller-APM/, DC Wale Adenuga now a substantive Comptroller of Customs; DC Admin, DC H. A Eromobor psc(+); Acting DC Compliance; DC APMT, DC G. Adeniyi; DC Valuation, DC M. Abdullahi; Acting DC Revenue, DC N.I Miko; DC Enforcement, B.Y Mohammed; and Releasing Officer, AC U. Abubakar.