A remarkable N672.1 billion in income was generated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Command between January and April of this year, marking a significant accomplishment.
According to reports from the News agency of Nigeria, this was said by the retiring Area Controller, Babajide Jaiyeoba, at his handover and retirement ceremony on Monday in Lagos.
According to Jaiyeoba, the command achieved a noteworthy milestone in April when it recorded the largest monthly revenue collection of N182 billion in the service’s history.
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He credited this to heavenly providence, Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi’s assistance, the committed personnel of the Apapa command, and the cooperative efforts of all parties involved. “I will describe the eight-month tenure as Area Controller of Apapa Command as joyful and characterised by exciting moments culminating into tangible results for the benefit of the nation.
“We have set the ball rolling for the actualisation of our target and the officers I am leaving behind are focused on this. My optimism is not misplaced because we have all proven to be tested and trusted,’’ Jaiyeoba stated
Reflecting on his tenure, Jaiyeoba described his eight-month stewardship as joyful and marked by notable achievements for the nation. He expressed confidence in the competence and dedication of the officers he leaves behind, urging them to sustain the momentum and exceed targets.
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Acknowledging the critical role of cooperation, Jaiyeoba called on all officers, government agencies, and stakeholders to extend their support to the incoming Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu.
On his part, Olomu assured the commitment of the service’s management to modernizing customs operations, with Apapa Port serving as a focal point for implementing trade facilitation reforms.
“We are reviving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large.
“The management of the service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, MFR.
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“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernisation, otherwise called e-customs, AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organisation (WCO) innovations like the recently-introduced advanced ruling policy.
The outgoing Area Controller highlighted the instrumental role played by the scanner center in expediting operations and enhancing revenue collection at Nigeria’s busiest port.
Gerald Mbamalu, Chairman of the Bonded Terminal Association, commended Jaiyeoba for his professionalism and expressed confidence in Olomu’s ability to surpass revenue targets.
In his acceptance speech, Olomu pledged to prioritize robust engagements with port stakeholders as a key objective of his leadership at the command. He emphasized the strategic importance of Nigeria in regional and international trade, reaffirming Apapa Port’s role in facilitating Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
