Customs Connects CBN’s TRMS Portal

As PTML Rakes In N43b, Recovered N477m Q1

BY FUNMI ALUKO

Efforts by the Federal Government to achieve seamless interconnectivity in trading automation achieved a major boost recently following the linkage of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Trade Monitoring System (TRMS) portal by the Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The access which was achieved under Comptroller AM Ibrahim, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) not only makes the inspection of imports declaration easier and faster now, the development has also made trade facilitation in the Roll-on-Roll off (RORO) of vehicular cargo for which the command specializes more trade friendly as the connectivity assists in the removal of traffic obstacles on the port access route.

In the same vein, the command raked in over Forty Billion naira (N43billion) in addition to the recovery of over Four Hundred and Seventy Seven million naira (N477million) revenue receipts that would have been lost to sharp practices by non compliant traders.

A statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, CSC Yakubu Mohammed informed that above scorecard is for the first quarter of the year, January to March 2023.

The statement reads: “The Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total revenue of Forty Three Billion, Seven Hundred and Twenty One Million, Two Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Six Naira, Seventy-Five kobo.N43,721,215,776.75 for the first quarter of 2023.

“The Command also recorded increase in the compliance level of importers, exporters and licensed customs agents following sustained sensitization embarked on by Comptroller AM Ibrahim, the Customs Area Controller(CAC).

“A month by month break down of the collection showed improvement in March 2023 above the figures of January and February generated by the Command, this year. In January, the command collected N14,748,081,466.31; February collection was a total of N13,129,893,878.68 while March collection was N15,843,240,431.76”

Addressing senior officers of the command at a recent meeting, Comptroller Ibrahim expressed optimism that there will be steady improvement in latter parts of the year with strategies already put in place.

“The CAC said there is a conscious drive to continually block suspected areas of revenue leakages while enlisting more support of all government agencies and private sector operators in ensuring high level of compliance.

“He commended the officers for their application of knowledge acquired through training and experience in detecting some areas of revenue shortfalls for which demand notices were issued to recover N477.8m between January and March 2023.”

The statement further disclosed that under Ibrahim’s watch, “the command achieved a major milestone by obtaining access to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Trade Monitoring System (TRMS) portal. This online access now makes inspection of declaration easier and faster.

‘For trade facilitation, since the command deals more on Roll on Roll off (vehicular) cargoes, it became imperative to assist in removing some traffic obstacles on the port access route”, adding:

“There is a remarkable improvement in the conduct of examination by officers, hence, preserving the record 4-hour clearance time of vehicles for compliant declarants.”

On anti-smuggling, “the Command made two seizures worth N10,487,800 (DPV) when it intercepted and seized 2x40ft containers marked ACLU9664782 and ACLU9715690 laden with 2,598 pieces of used motor tyres; 18 pieces of used washing machines and fridges, used mattresses and other used household items.”

This is even as the command said it processed a total of 1,932 containers weighing a total tonnage of 38,137.66 with free onboard (FOB) value of $48,006,020.41, equivalent to N20,272,942,419.14 at exchange rate of  N422.3 to $1, within the period under review.

Export items through the command include cocoa beans, sesame seeds, hibiscus flower, dried ginger, noodles, beverages, cosmetics and others.

Comptroller Ibrahim informed that the well-being of officers on duty has also received a boost with the establishment of a fully equipped clinic to address health matters at work.

While thanking the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali, CFR and his management team for the unwavering support, motivation and mentoring which he said has contribute to the progress of the command, he pledged to ensure that the trust reposed on him and his management team would not be taken for granted.