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Tag: Nigeria Customs Service

  • Customs calls for interagency synergy to fight smuggling

    Customs calls for interagency synergy to fight smuggling

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has called for increased collaboration among security agencies to effectively address smuggling and its detrimental effects on Nigeria’s economy.

    Delivering a lecture to Course 33 participants at the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja on Thursday, 23 January 2025, the Customs boss stressed the importance of synergy and mutual understanding among security agencies in tackling illicit trade and ensuring economic security.

    “No single agency can effectively combat the complexities of smuggling without the support and cooperation of others,” Adeniyi said. “Collaborating with other security agencies is essential for effective anti-smuggling operations. It is only through synergy that we can reduce these illegal activities to the barest minimum and foster economic growth in Nigeria.”

    The lecture, held at the NDC Auditorium, provided a platform for the Comptroller-General to discuss strategies for addressing smuggling and its economic implications. The National Defence College, Nigeria’s premier institution for military and strategic studies, brings together participants from various sectors, including the armed forces, paramilitary organisations, and the civil service

    Adeniyi’s presentation highlighted the need for a collective approach to safeguard the nation’s economic interests and underscored the importance of inter-agency cooperation in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

    The event was attended by senior officers, faculty members, and participants from across the country, who described the lecture as an insightful contribution to understanding the dynamics of security and economic protection.

  • Customs, NAFDAC sign MoU to combat illicit drugs and harmful products

    Customs, NAFDAC sign MoU to combat illicit drugs and harmful products

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to combat the rising influx of illicit pharmaceutical products and other harmful substances into Nigeria.

    The MoU was signed during the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) conference on Thursday in Abuja.

    Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, described the MoU as the culmination of years of dedicated dialogue and coordination between the two agencies.
    This partnership is a response to a major scourge we are facing in the country,” he remarked, emphasizing the MoU includes a comprehensive scope of collaboration, particularly in intelligence sharing, which involves the exchange of intelligence between both agencies.

    Adeniyi highlighted one of the agreement’s central elements: intelligence sharing between the two agencies.

    “Sometimes, at midnight, NAFDAC DG sends intelligence to me, saying, we learn that a suspicious container may be birthing in the morning. This kind of real-time information flow is critical to our joint efforts,” he noted.

    The customs chief recounted a recent state of emergency declared at one of Nigeria’s ports, explaining that reports indicate the move was merely a scratch on the surface of illicit pharmaceutical products entering Nigeria’s markets.

    He called for a unified response to end the circulation of such harmful items, saying, “It is time for all of us to say, collectively, that this will be the beginning of the end. We are going to save Nigeria and the future of our kids from these dangerous products.”

    NAFDAC DG emphasizes daily impact on Nigerians
    Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, described the MoU as a significant and necessary step, given the daily impact of the products regulated by her agency on Nigerians. “We consume at least two of our regulated products every day—food and healthcare items. This partnership is about ensuring that the food, drugs, and healthcare products we take are safe and of the highest quality,” she stated.

    Addressing national security concerns
    Prof. Adeyeye further explained that the threats posed by unregulated and illicit products pose not only public health risks but also national security threats, citing how some approved chemicals could be misused by criminals and terrorists.

    “We have ghost companies that are not on our lists. This MoU marks the beginning of the end of such practices,” she affirmed.

  • Revenue Leakage: Customs, RMAFC Collaborate to Boost Federal Income

    Revenue Leakage: Customs, RMAFC Collaborate to Boost Federal Income

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), have collaborated, in a bid to enhance Nigeria’s revenue generation and combat the persistent issue of revenue leakages.

    The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi announced the groundbreaking partnership on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, at the Nigeria Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

    This collaborative initiative seeks to align strategies and pool resources to maximize the remittance of accrued revenue to the Federal Government, marking a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s financial landscape.

    During the visit, Chairman Muhammad Shehu Umar and his delegation from RMAFC received a warm welcome from Ag. CGC Bashir Adeniyi. The CGC expressed his unwavering commitment to this partnership, emphasizing the collective responsibility for minimizing revenue leakages and maximizing remittances.

    Adeniyi stated, “It would be a collective responsibility for all of us to come together to minimize revenue leakage and maximize remittance of accrued revenue to the Federal Government.”

    He also commended RMAFC for their relentless pursuit of solutions to revenue challenges, highlighting the pivotal role this collaboration could play in achieving their shared objectives.

    Chairman Muhammad Shehu Umar reciprocated the enthusiasm, congratulating Ag. CGC Adeniyi on his appointment and applauded his acceptance of their partnership proposal. Umar reaffirmed his unwavering support for the CGC’s mission to boost revenue generation, echoing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emphasis on this vital endeavor.

    Furthermore, Umar praised the Nigeria Customs Service’s strides under the leadership of CGC Adeniyi in facilitating trade across the nation, recognizing that these efforts would catalyze increased revenue generation.

    The partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and RMAFC promotes fortifying the nation’s finances and mitigating revenue losses, ultimately bolstering Nigeria’s economic resilience.

    This collaboration signifies a united front in the battle against revenue leakages and underscores the commitment of these two institutions to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial interests.

     

  • Comptroller Ajibola Engages Stakeholders in Efforts to Streamline Export Trade Processes

    Comptroller Ajibola Engages Stakeholders in Efforts to Streamline Export Trade Processes

    Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, Customs Area Controller Lilypond Export Command on Wednesday, October 4th, 2023, engaged key stakeholders in a meeting on Efforts to Streamline Export Trade Processes and pave the way for increased foreign investment.

    The objective of the gathering was to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by stakeholders in the export trade sector and to formulate strategies to address them effectively.

    Comptroller Odusanya emphasized the significance of this meeting, stating, “It provides an avenue for us to identify the challenges that stakeholders are grappling with, and where we, as facilitators, can step in to alleviate these issues.”

    Highlighting the government’s commitment to expediting export-related activities, he remarked, “We are aware that the current government is dedicated to facilitating export businesses, and the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adebiyi, has placed a high priority on advancing exports, in line with the federal government’s vision.”

    Comptroller Odusanya also underscored the potential benefits of resolving export trade hurdles, pointing out that attracting foreign investors is one of them. “Numerous foreign investors may express interest in investing in Nigeria, particularly in export-related ventures. When they perceive that there are no substantial barriers, they will be encouraged, ultimately leading to job opportunities for our youth within the export sector.”

    Furthermore, the CAC emphasized the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerian goods compete favorably in domestic and international markets. “Export trade is inherently international, and as officers and facilitators, we will spare no effort to ensure that our goods maintain competitiveness in the global arena,” he affirmed.

    Odusanya concluded that a shift toward a trade surplus favoring Nigeria could bolster the nation’s currency and promote industrialization. “By prioritizing exports over imports, we can strengthen our currency and, in turn, foster industrial growth,” he emphasized.

    He, however, expressed his readiness to collaborate closely with stakeholders to align export trade with the vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adebiyi, and the directives of the Federal Government, signaling a proactive approach to improving Nigeria’s position in the global export market.

     

  • Urgent Need For Stable Exchange Rate

    Urgent Need For Stable Exchange Rate

    Nigeria’s import dependent port system is presently challenged by unpredictable exchange rate regime that has caused a sharp decline in trade with attendant threats on the economy.

    This has led to reduced commercial activities causing loss of jobs and setbacks on many fronts

    Recently, the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms has recommended that the Federal Government adopt an exchange rate of N800 per one US dollar for computing Customs import duty.

    This proposal was announced by the committee’s chairman, Taiwo Oyedele, during a press briefing in Lagos

    Oyedele had highlighted the challenges businesses face due to the volatility of the foreign exchange (FX) market, which causes frequent changes in the import duty rate. He emphasised the need for stability to allow businesses to plan adequately.

    “When we did the budget, we said naira to dollar will be N800, now it is 1,000 something. People need to plan.

    This position has gained popularity in the business sector of the country as a quick fix measure capable of revamping the economy to the pre May 2023 era.

    The chief executive officer of Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf has said the frequent changes in the customs duty exchange rate have become a huge burden on the business community.

    This magazine posits that the federal government treats this issue as a matter of national emergency to reset the economy on the path of recovery before things degenerate from their present unpleasant state to a worse condition