 has announced a remarkable revenue haul of ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025—more than twice){kind=link}
Customs Generates ₦1.3 Trillion in Q1 2025, Doubles 2023 Figures Amid Sweeping Reforms
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a remarkable revenue haul of ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025—more than twice the ₦600 billion collected during the same period in 2023. The record-breaking figure reflects sweeping institutional reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, revealed the figures in a forthcoming State House documentary celebrating President Tinubu’s second year in office.
According to a statement released Saturday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Adeniyi credited the dramatic increase in revenue to enhanced operational efficiency, greater transparency, and improved enforcement practices, rather than a rise in import volumes.
“Import levels have declined due to foreign exchange constraints,” Adeniyi noted. “The difference lies in our commitment to efficiency, accountability, and the strategic plugging of revenue leakages.”
Adeniyi also announced that the Customs Service is finalizing preparations for the launch of the $3.2 billion E-Customs Modernisation Project. The initiative is set to fully digitize Nigeria’s cargo processing, surveillance, and payment systems across all ports and border points.
“This marks a significant shift from our old, paper-based processes to a digital-first approach,” he said. “The E-Customs Project is pivotal to our future and is projected to generate a cumulative $250 billion in revenue over the next two decades.”
To further ease trade and reduce port congestion, the NCS has expanded its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, allowing pre-vetted and compliant importers to benefit from expedited processing and clearance.
“It’s about building trust and rewarding compliance,” Adeniyi explained. “Globally, green-lane treatment is the standard for trusted traders, and Nigeria is adopting that best practice.”
The Customs boss detailed intensified efforts to clamp down on smuggling and recover lost revenues. In the past nine months alone, the NCS recovered over ₦64 billion from under-declared or undervalued imports. Several smuggling syndicates operating along critical border points in Seme, Idiroko, Katsina, and Sokoto have been dismantled.
Newly formed joint border patrol units—comprising personnel from the Nigerian Army, Police, and Department of State Services (DSS)—have also contributed to improved enforcement.
“We’ve moved from chasing smugglers in the bush to using real-time data, drones, and port intelligence,” Adeniyi stated. “We are closing systemic leakages once and for all.”
To further streamline trade, the NCS is accelerating the deployment of the National Single Window—an integrated digital platform to harmonize the operations of all government agencies involved in cargo clearance. Adeniyi said that clearance times at Apapa and Tin Can Ports have already dropped from 21 days to as little as 7–10 days for compliant traders.
“In the current system, traders interact with up to 15 agencies manually. The Single Window will consolidate all of that into one digital platform, saving time and reducing costs,” he said.
The NCS has also introduced fast-track lanes for agro-exporters and is working in tandem with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to ease outbound cargo processing. In 2024, Nigeria exported over ₦340 billion worth of solid minerals and agricultural commodities through formal channels—an increase of 38% over the previous year. The Customs Service is now targeting even higher figures in 2025.
Internally, the Customs Service is undergoing a transformation to meet global standards. Over 1,800 officers have been trained in advanced data analytics, risk profiling, and artificial intelligence.
“We are evolving from a physically-driven operation to an intelligence-led organization,” said Adeniyi. “Our officers are being retrained to operate in a modern customs environment. The President has given us a clear mandate: block leakages, ease trade, and raise revenue—without overburdening Nigerians. We are delivering on that mandate.”
With the foundation laid by these reforms, the Nigeria Customs Service is positioning itself as a critical driver of national revenue and trade facilitation, aligned with President Tinubu’s broader economic agenda.