Lagos Premier Ports Leveraging On NSEDP

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

As the oldest, largest and busiest seaports, the Lagos- Apapa premier Port and its sister Tin Can Island Port which began operations in 1921 and 1977, respectively, have continually stood out as economic reference points and performance index; be it academics or economic purposes.

It is instructive that the two oldest and leading ports also form the fulcrum of the federal government National Strategic Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) implementation based on the prevailing Executive Order on Port Operations.

The economic instruments which espouses efficiency and compliance in port operations not only significantly affects the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) but signposts the service’s key performance indicators (KPI), namely revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement; the latter essentially focusing on national security.

The significance of the NCS leveraging on the NSEDP to benchmark national security and economic growth was emphasized by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR last week Tuesday, when he visited to showcase major seizures recorded by the Apapa Customs Command, some of which were unregistered, unapproved pharmaceuticals and expired margarines.

Apprising the general public of the significant enforcement actions undertaken by the Apapa Port Command, Adeniyi disclosed that monitoring and surveillance remains key tasks vigorously been pursued by the NCS and which aggregates the essence of the NSEDP.

Speaking on the criticality of  nexus between NCS Mandate and the NSEDP, Adeniyi said: “Pursuant to the National Strategic Economic Development Plan and the Executive Order on Port Operations, the Service has intensified surveillance across all authorized points of entry, specifically seaports, airports, and approved land borders.

“This intensification is in direct response to the adaptive methodologies being deployed by transnational criminal networks seeking to compromise our border security architecture and circumvent established import protocols.”

The CGC proceeded to unveil high profile seizures recorded by the premier customs command which consists of eleven (11) containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Nine Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Twenty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirteen Naira (₦921,021,213.00).

Addressing newsmen about the seizures, the customs helmsman said, “Pursuant to Section 246 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and in exercise of powers conferred therein, the Apapa Port Command has, between January and April 2025, executed a series of targeted interdictions resulting in the seizure of prohibited and restricted imports.

“The seizure operations yielded a total of eleven (11) seizures comprising: a. Five (5) units of 40-foot containers. b. Two (2) units of 20-foot containers. c. Four (4) additional seizures of loosely concealed contraband items. The aforementioned seizures have an aggregate Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Nine Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Twenty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirteen Naira (₦921,021,213.00) as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols.”

To emphasize the criticality of the preparedness of the NCS to countermand related negative economic devices designed to weaken the national economy, Adeniyi observed that the premier port despite remaining a target, has continued to respond appropriately to every form of threats.

“The service has documented with concern the increasing sophistication of smuggling tactics targeting our maritime domain, particularly the nation’s premier port facility at Apapa. Intelligence reports indicate an increase in attempts to import prohibited and restricted items through container shipping in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the corresponding period in 2024.

“Of particular concern is the alarming prevalence of unregistered pharmaceutical products entering our supply chain without requisite regulatory approvals and quality assurance certifications. These items constitute a clear and present danger to public health, with potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality if permitted to infiltrate our domestic markets.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, in exercise of its statutory mandate, has therefore escalated its risk assessment protocols at all points of entry.”

Demonstrating the competence and commitment of the service and its workforce to remain on top of the situation and to ensure that NSEDP is served and remain the guiding compass to efficient port trade, the CGC identified a 6-prong system utilized by criminal syndicates to try to undermine the nation’s port trade.

His words, “Upon meticulous analysis of these seizures, the Service has identified several significant patterns that warrant public attention”, and listed them as follows:

Pattern of Sexual Enhancement Drugs. Five of the eleven seizures involved various forms of sildenafil citrate and related sexual enhancement medications. This is a disturbing trend in the importation of unregulated sexual performance drugs that pose serious health risks, including potential cardiovascular complications and harmful drug addiction when used without proper medical supervision.

Strategic Misdeclaration Tactics. We have observed a sophisticated pattern of misdeclaration where importers deliberately classify pharmaceuticals as general merchandise or cosmetics. Container MRSU 3041714 declared sildenafil products as omeprazole capsules, while TCKU 6930113 concealed skin creams as cosmetic powder. This demonstrates calculated attempts to evade regulatory scrutiny.

Diversification of Contraband Portfolio. The seizures reveal importers are diversifying their contraband portfolios—combining pharmaceuticals, food items, and controlled technology in systematic shipments. This suggests the emergence of organized networks with sophisticated logistics capabilities rather than isolated smuggling attempts.

Strategic Country of Origin Selection. Analysis reveals a pattern in the selection of countries of origin, with many consignments originating from jurisdictions with less stringent pharmaceutical export controls. This indicates deliberate exploitation of regulatory gaps in the international supply chain.

Escalation of Non-Pharmaceutical Security Threats. The significant number of drone seizures (113 units across two incidents) without proper end-user certificates represents an emerging security concern beyond traditional contraband. The inclusion of communication devices suggests potential applications beyond recreational use.

Financial Scale Analysis. The consistent valuation of pharmaceutical containers between ₦140-145 million per 40ft container indicates a standardized commercial operation with established pricing structures, suggesting these are not opportunistic shipments but rather systematic business operations.

In the same vein, Tin Can Island Port command of the NCS being the second largest and busiest has remained upbeat in its surveillance task as indeed, in all areas of duty.

Commending the Apapa Customs area boss, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi and his team, Adeniyi said, “I hereby convey formal commendation to all officers and men of the Apapa Port Command who, through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed these interceptions. Their actions are exemplary to the core values of the Service as articulated in our Code of Conduct: integrity, professionalism, and patriotism.”

Like his counterpart at the Apapa premier command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka of TCIP Command recently handed seized consignments of imported illicit drug worth over N8 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Onyeka disclosed that the two units of 20FT containers which were intercepted differently were falsely declared as used cars and used auto spare parts. He explained that one of the seized containers with registration number TCNU 194586/1 was intercepted on February 27, 2025 was laden with 128 packets of Cannabis Indica, weighing 63.75 kilograms with an estimated street value of N414.37 million.

The second container (MSMU 838666/3) intercepted earlier on December 12, 2024 contained 97 packets of Crystals Methamphetamine, weighing a total of 78.3 kilograms with an estimated street value of  N2 billion and 1,735 packets of Cannabis Indica with a total weight of 867.5 kilograms; with an estimated street value of N5.63 billion.

According to the Tin Can customs boss, the total street value of the seized drugs stood at N8.05 billion. As part of the moves to ensure sanity in the system, Onyeka also focused attention on the bonded terminals, to ensure that maximum surveillance, compliance and efficiency is not lowered. This is also to ensure a reinforced coordination of the activities of the terminals under his watch.

Sources close to Onyeka’s office noted that the move may not be unconnected with speculations that some of the bonded terminals have a history of serving as conduit pipe for leakages.

The reinforced focus on bonded terminals our source say is particularly designed to further scrutinize ‘transire containers’ from the mother port to out station bonded terminals. It was gathered that the command has been able to curb some sharp practices and that the bonded terminals are presently working full capacity, and making optimal revenue collections while monitoring and surveillance attracts equal priority.

Analysts and observers say the bold step to prevent terminal warehouses from serving as weak links in the command’s operations clearly promotes the cause of NSEDP as envisioned by the federal government.

One of the command’s command key bonded terminal, TICT which had in time past, reportedly been notorious for lack of openness is now, more open, more active and more compliant.

With a reinvigorated enforcement inherited by him in additional to a number of functional strategies and improvements introduced since coming onboard, Onyeka has not only raised stakeholders compliance through a gradual decline in recorded seizures; but has kept surveillance and enforcement at top performance.

With Olomu and Onyeka at the leadership control of the foremost two ports, the NCS is relaxed, confident and assured of delivering utmost results while executing the vision of the NSEDP.

It was thus with a huge sense of responsibility and assurance that the CGC at Apapa on Tuesday declared that NCS has continued to perform beyond expectation, even on areas on major concern to the federal government, looking at the successes so far recorded on the backdrop of the executive order on port operations.

“The seizures presented today must be contextualized within our broader enforcement statistics. During Q1 2025, the Service recorded a total of 22 narcotics interceptions with a cumulative Duty Paid Value of ₦730,748,173, representing a34.6% increase over the corresponding period in 2024.”

Noting that the scorecard of the premier port highlights the progressive implementation of the NCS intelligence-led enforcement strategy, he commended the leadership of the port command together with its officers and men for remaining vigilant and committed.

“I hereby convey formal commendation to all officers and men of the Apapa Port Command who, through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed these interceptions. Their actions are exemplary the core values of the Service as articulated in our Code of Conduct: integrity, professionalism, and patriotism.”

Continuing, he said, “It is imperative to re-emphasize that the Nigeria Customs Service shall maintain an uncompromising stance on enforcement of import regulations”, adding:

“We hereby serve notice to all importers, exporters, agents, and other stakeholders within the international trade environment that our intelligence network, technological capabilities, and inter-agency collaborations have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge.”