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Customs Loses 70 Officers To Smugglers

No fewer than 70 personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service were lost within seven months while on duty.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a recent interview.
He also said the Service has opened collaboration with their counterparts in the Republic of Benin to facilitate trade and resolve bottlenecks affecting transhipment of goods into Cotonou.
“Customs is here to see and find solutions to the challenges hindering the smooth operations of Nigerian business operators who engage in inter-border trade and transhipment of goods from Nigeria to Republic of Benin.
“Nigeria Customs had lost 70 Customs officers between January 2016 till date while performing their duties to stop the activities of smuggling of some products such as rice, poultry products, rice and so on.
“We have made it real to visit Benin Customs and discuss on the rudiments hindering our operations.
“I believe our dialogue will bring out solutions because both countries are interdependent and this why there should be symbolic mutual relationship between them,” said Ali.
He further noted that there was the need for a level playing ground for the Nigeria Customs Service and the Beninoire Customs due to the nature of their operations as well as the law governing the ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme.
Ali told NAN that customs was having serious challenges with Nigerian border operators and importers because they still engaged in prohibited goods in spite of (Customs and Excise Management Act) CEMA law and ETLS, which governed both the Customs and stakeholders operations.
“When operators know that there are some certain goods that are prohibited, they still try to bring them into the country,” Ali added.
He said compliant was key to the Nigeria Customs Service, adding that it was Customs duty in making sure stakeholders operate in a conducive environment for smooth operations to enable customs to get more revenue due for government.
NAN reports that the law relating to Customs agents is contained in the CEMA Cap 45, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Customs and Excise Agents (Licensing) Regulations 1968 (Legal Notice 95/1968 as amended).
In his response, the Director-General, Republic of Benin Customs, Claver Tossou, said there was the need for the country to solidify the relationship between Benin and Nigeria to facilitate legitimate trade both countries.
Tossou said the coming of NCS was a right step in good direction, adding that the visit would enable them iron out the challenges and find lasting solutions to facilitate trade and protection of security among the operators.
He said that there was the need to protect the customs laws, symbol and the principles and to establish long lasting cooperation between both countries.
At the interactive session on August 3, the President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, said his member faced a lot of challenges while operating between Seme and Idiroko area of Lagos State.
Shittu said ANLCA as Customs Brokers operate at land borders, adding that the association was one of the major players operating between Nigeria and Benin.
He said Nigerian importers incurred on plate numbered vehicles 60,000 CFA, while Benin Republic plate-numbered vehicle importer paid 20,000 CFA per extra tonnage respectively.
Shittu urged the Chef Brigade at Krake Border to delegate his deputy in the command when he is not around for trade facilitation.
He requested that Customs should seal trucks coming to Nigeria and should be handed over to Nigeria Customs to open at the border for proper documentation rather than being opened by the Benin Customs to avoid collection of extra charges of 50,000 CFA, which added to cost of business.
Shittu said: “Customs should assist in mentioning the obligatory payment of between 30,000 to 50,000CFA for NAFDAC related goods which was questionable.
“Agents are not aware that such trucks will not be allowed into the country.
“Customs should assist in checking the cost of transiting ETLS goods from Ghana to Lagos so that Nigeria could provide more enhancement of trade facilitation and competition in West Africa sub region.”
Shittu urged Ali to look into the multiple checkpoints along Seme border to Mile 2 in Lagos State, saying that there is an estimate of 30 checkpoints mounted by Customs and other security agencies.
The Deputy President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Chief Alaba Lawson, said there was the need to facilitate trade, adding that Customs should enable the operators to know the legitimate trade they would be doing to reduce cost of doing business.
Lawson said there was the need for both countries to firm their relationship, adding that trade should be facilitated.
He said: “When we are entering Benin at the Nigerian border, we spent 30 minutes and on getting to Republic of Benin’s border we spent four hours.
“We are still encountering stress while the ECOWAS ETLS has explained the procedures of operation among regional countries.”
Lawan, however, urged NCS to strengthen the collaboration between both countries.
The President of the Rice Dealers Association, Republic of Benin, Hajia Karamotu Ibikunle, urged the NCS to make it possible for her association to bring rice to Nigeria through the border station.
Ibikunle told the Comptroller-General of Customs to enlighten her association on how to get rice to Nigeria to assist Customs in generating revenue for government.
In his response, Ali said that Customs could only instruct it’s officers, adding that he had been engaging other security agencies to reduce the checkpoints to the barest minimum.
Ali said the Federal Government was doing something about high exchange rate, adding that the floating in exchange rate had resulted to high foreign exchange.
He said: “We have a ban on importation of rice through the land borders because rice still comes through the seaport.
“It is part of our duties to protect the lives of our people and it was discovered that most of the rice coming through border had been tested by NAFDAC and it was discovered majority of the rice have expired and operators re-bagged them to sell to innocent citizens
“As a result of this, that is why we have some youths of 20s and 30s having cancer due to the foods that we eat.”
Ali said the present management of Customs was working towards providing conducive atmosphere for customs officers working along Idiroko area.
Ali said Customs officers at Idiroko were operating in one room during the day, use the same room as office and converted the same room to a residence in the evening.
He said trade was low as a result of exchange rates, which had affected revenue, adding that it was the Customs management’s responsibility to provide conducive environment for officers to carry out their legitimate functions.
NAN.
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Netflix to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery in $82.7bn Mega Deal
By Adedapo Adesanya
Netflix has reached a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to buy the legendary TV and movie studio and assets like the HBO Max streaming service for $82.7 billion.
Warner Bros. Discovery is moving forward with its plans to split into two publicly traded halves in 2026. Once the split takes effect, Netflix intends to acquire the Warner Bros. half. The other half, Discovery Global, will house CNN and other cable channels. The Warner Bros. half includes its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
The transaction values Warner Bros. Discovery at $27.75 per share, implying a total equity value of approximately $72.0 billion and an enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion.
The deal is subject to regulatory conditions, of which there will be several, due to the size of the companies involved and what it means for competitiveness.
For several weeks, Paramount was thought to be the frontrunner in the auction for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount executives, who want to buy all of Warner Bros. Discovery – including its cable assets – were confident about their merger proposal and their mutually beneficial relationship with President Donald Trump.
However, Netflix surprised many with the boldness of its bids as it agreed to the same costly breakup fee that Paramount proposed, according to reports. This means the would-be buyer will pay Warner Bros. Discovery billions of dollars if the deal is not completed.
“Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” said Mr Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies—from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends—with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we’ll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”
Mr Greg Peters, the other co-CEO of Netflix, said the acquisition would “improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come,” adding: “Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century and continues to do so with phenomenal creative executives and production capabilities. With our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they create—giving our members more options, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating more value for shareholders.”
“Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come.”
The terms of the agreement will see each Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock for Warner Bros. Discovery common stock share.
Brands/Products
Video Gaming Firm Xsolla Offers Nigerians Paga Payment Option
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A global video game commerce company, Xsolla, has integrated Nigeria’s Paga into its payment system, allowing Nigerians more secure payment options.
Xsolla helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games and with a large market available in Nigeria, with a population of over 230 million people, working with Paga is a good idea.
With services like Pay with Paga, Bank Transfers with Paga, and Cash by Paga, Xsolla provides a comprehensive payment solution that caters to diverse needs.
Serving more than 20 million users and processing massive volumes nationwide, Paga is one of Nigeria’s largest licensed mobile-money operators.
By integrating Paga’s full suite of payment options, players can enjoy seamless transactions, whether through quick in-app purchases, bank transfers, or cash deposits – with instant confirmations and reduced friction for all types of payments.
“Introducing Paga as a new payment method to players in Nigeria reflects our commitment to meeting players where they are,” said Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla.
“Paga’s strong local presence and trusted platform make it easier for Nigerian players to engage confidently, ensuring that convenience and security go hand in hand.”
From Nigeria to the world, Xsolla provides every payment method developers need to grow and monetize their games globally.
Local payment methods are crucial, enabling developers to reach every player, increase transaction conversions, and drive more sales and revenue. With Paga in Nigeria, it’s easier than ever to pay, play, and succeed.
Key benefits of the Paga integration include instant confirmations, localized experiences, and increased market reach and conversion.
Brands/Products
Temu Partners Dellyman to Scale Logistics Capabilities Across Nigeria
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its strategies to aggressively scale its logistics capabilities across key African markets, especially in Nigeria, the fast-growing global e-commerce powerhouse, Temu, has entered into a delivery partnership with Lagos-based logistics startup, Dellyman.
Through this collaboration, Temu customers in Nigeria will experience faster, more predictable, and more transparent deliveries, a critical factor in sustaining the platform’s customer satisfaction as order volumes continue to rise.
Dellyman’s technology-driven approach, spanning rider management, route optimisation, and customer visibility, played a central role in Temu’s selection process.
In the pilot phase, Dellyman completed more than 1,300 deliveries with a 95 per cent success rate, demonstrating its readiness to support large-scale e-commerce operations nationwide.
Founded in 2020, the firm has grown into one of Nigeria’s most reliable same-day and last-mile delivery platforms.
The company recently achieved a 10,000-order monthly delivery milestone in November 2025, contributing to a cumulative total of more than 300,000 lifetime deliveries.
This track record made Dellyman a strong fit for Temu, which is aggressively scaling logistics capabilities across key African markets.
“Our partnership with Temu is a major endorsement of the vision we set out with, to build Nigeria’s most reliable, scalable, and transparent last-mile delivery infrastructure.
“Achieving a 95 per cent delivery success rate during the pilot underscores our readiness to support high-volume e-commerce platforms.
“This collaboration shows that local startups can meet and exceed global standards when given the opportunity,” the chief executive of Dellyman, Mr Dare Ojo-Bello, said.
He further noted that the partnership represents more than operational growth as it signals a shift in how global e-commerce brands view Nigerian logistics capabilities.
“This is not just about fulfilling orders; it is about reshaping perceptions of what Nigerian delivery companies can achieve. We are committed to building the kind of infrastructure that supports international standards, empowers local businesses, and ultimately strengthens consumer trust in the broader digital economy,” he noted.
Mr Ojo-Bello added that Dellyman will continue investing in capacity, fleet expansion, and merchant-facing tools to ensure superior delivery experiences for Temu buyers and other online shoppers nationwide.
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