The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a significant revenue boost, announcing a total collection of ₦1.75 trillion for the first quarter of 2025. This figure surpasses the quarterly target of ₦1.645 trillion by over ₦106 billion, representing a 106.47% performance rate. Compared to the ₦1.35 trillion collected in Q1 2024, this marks an impressive 29.96% year-on-year growth.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, attributed the revenue surge to ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, with oversight by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun. Adeniyi noted that efforts to block revenue leakages, enforce compliance, and modernise customs operations have started yielding measurable results.
In the same period, the Customs also intensified anti-smuggling operations, leading to 298 seizures across the country. The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the intercepted contraband is estimated at ₦7.7 billion—representing a 78.41% increase from ₦4.3 billion recorded in the previous quarter. Seized items include 135,474 bags of rice, 65,819 litres of petroleum products, hard drugs worth ₦730.7 million, and illegal wildlife products valued at ₦5.65 billion.
Operational data showed that the Service processed 327,928 import declarations involving goods with a combined weight of 4.9 billion kilograms and a Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value of ₦14.8 trillion. On the export side, while declaration numbers were fewer, the volume of goods surged to over 5 billion kilograms—indicating Nigeria’s growing focus on large-scale bulk commodity exports.
Despite these milestones, the NCS grappled with challenges posed by foreign exchange instability. Within the quarter, 62 exchange rate updates were recorded, ranging from ₦1,477.72 to ₦1,569.53 per U.S. dollar. The Customs leadership is currently working with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of Finance to stabilise the valuation process and reduce volatility.
Looking ahead, the Service is intensifying its digital transformation agenda, with plans to upgrade the B’Odogwu trade facilitation platform, enhance automated risk management systems, and boost user experience for importers and exporters. The NCS remains focused on meeting its 2025 revenue target of ₦6.58 trillion while strengthening national economic security.
