General
Customs Targets N6.58trn for 2025 After Generating N6.11trn in 2024
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has set a revenue target of N6.58 trillion for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for 2025, according to the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, after the agency collected an unprecedented N6.11 trillion in 2024.
The amount generated last year according to the customs chief, surpassed its N5.08 trillion revenue target for the year by N1.03 trillion or 20.2 per cent.
Mr Adeniyi said the remarkable achievement represented 90.4 percent increase compared to N3.21 trillion collected in 2023, describing the revenue growth as historic as it marked the highest year-on-year increase recorded by the service in recent times, surpassing the 52.24 per cent growth recorded in 2022 by 38.18 per cent.
Mr Adeniyi also pointed out that the service achieved another milestone in October 2024 when it recorded N603.17 billion as the highest monthly collection in the history of the NCS, noting that the new revenue target reflected the government’s confidence in customs’ capabilities and the expanding scope of its operations.
Further providing a breakdown of the revenue collection for last year, Mr Adeniyi stated that N3.66 trillion was collected into the Federation Account, consisting of import duty, excise duty, fees, e-auction proceeds, and Common External Tariff (CET) levy.
He pointed out that the collections were achieved despite significant concessions granted to support various sectors of the economy, totaling N1.68 trillion, saying these concessions comprised N723 billion in import duty waivers, N372.65 billion in other levy concessions, and N586.65 billion in import VAT relief.
Mr Adeniyi noted that the strategic concessions were granted to stimulate economic growth, support industrial development, and enhance the overall business environment in line with government policy objectives.
He said the 2024 concession value represented a significant reduction from the N3.95 trillion recorded in 2023, adding that the reduction was a direct result of the service’s enhanced monitoring mechanisms and strategic reforms.
According to the CGC, this was aimed at blocking loopholes and eliminating abuses in the concession granting process, ensuring that only genuine and qualifying enterprises benefitted from these incentives, adding that the service made several commitments towards modernising its operations and enhancing service delivery.
He said despite its impressive revenue performance, the service remained conscious of the need to strike a balance between revenue collection and trade facilitation, adding that this balance was evident in its commitments at the beginning of the year and served as a milestone for gauging performance throughout 2024.
The CGC pointed out that trade data for 2024 reflected significant growth in trade value despite global economic headwinds, stressing that the service processed imports with a Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value of N60.29 trillion in 2024, representing a remarkable 117.4 per cent increase from N27.74 trillion in 2023.
He said this was achieved through 1,262,988 import transactions, handling a total mass of 15.35 billion kilograms –noting that the higher value recorded despite an 8.2 per cent decrease in transaction volume from the previous year’s 1,376,514 transactions indicated a shift towards higher-value goods in our import trade portfolio.
He said export trade performance was equally impressive, with the total CIF value rising significantly to N136.65 trillion in 2024 from N42.77 trillion in 2023, marking a 219.5 per cent increase.
He said while the number of export transactions remained relatively stable at 38,199 compared to 38,294 in 2023, the country witnessed a substantial increase in export volume, processing 12.35 billion kilograms in 2024 compared to 3.70 billion kilograms in 2023, noting that the 234 per cent increase in export mass, coupled with the higher value, indicated a robust growth in our export trade and suggested increasing competitiveness of Nigerian products in the international market.
According to him, the total trade value handled by the service in the review year amounted to N196.94 trillion, compared to N70.50 trillion in 2023, representing a 179.3 percent increase.
On its anti-smuggling operations, Adeniyi stated that the NCS adapted its strategies to the evolving security challenges resulting in 3,555 seizures in 2024 with a dramatic 100.92 per cent increase in the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of seizures from N17.56 billion in 2023 to N35.29 billion in 2024.
He said the seizures, with CIF value of N28.46 billion and a total duty of N6.83 billion highlighted the scale of attempted economic sabotage prevented by the service, adding that the recorded seizures included traditional and emerging risks to Nigeria’s economic and overall national security.
The customs chief stated that there were seizures of arms and ammunition, including 900 arms and 113,472 rounds of ammunition, and the interception of narcotics and other illicit drugs, resulting in 105 seizures across various forms that were aided by the declaration of a state of emergency at our major entry points.
Mr Adeniyi said the service also intercepted unauthorised pharmaceutical products, with 40 seizures including 175,676 pieces and 6,271 cartons of various medicaments valued at N3.04 billion, protecting public health from potentially dangerous counterfeit drugs.
According to him, the service’s enforcement activities also revealed evolving patterns in environmental and wildlife crimes, with 76 seizures of animal/wildlife products valued at N5.93 billion.
“We also maintained vigilance over trade-sensitive goods, as evidenced by the seizure of 183,527 bags of rice. Additionally, significant seizures were made of other restricted items including 3,785 bales of textiles valued at N945.9 million, and various quantities of footwear, beverages, and other consumer goods, protecting local industries and supporting the government’s economic diversification agenda.
“The service also recorded 397 seizures of vehicles valued at N5.64 billion, as we continue to enforce import regulations and protect government revenue.
“The mounting sophistication of smuggling networks also necessitated a corresponding elevation in our enforcement capabilities, leading to enhanced collaboration with national and international partners and the deployment of advanced detection approaches.
“Worthy of note is the launch of operation Whirlwind with the support of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) under the Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited
“This operation resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of petroleum products totaling 1,716,656 litres from saboteurs diverting petroleum products intended for home use to neighbouring countries.
“Most significantly, our enforcement activities have yielded 55 arrests of suspects currently under investigation as we continue to dismantle the criminal networks behind these activities.
Mr Adeniyi stressed that to strengthen customs’ enforcement capabilities further, the service is actively expanding its technological infrastructure by integrating geo-spatial technology and other cutting-edge solutions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
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