Customs Surpasses 2025 Revenue Target by ₦697bn

By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it collected ₦7.281 trillion in 2025, surpassing its revenue target of ₦6.584 trillion by ₦697 billion, even as it identified systemic bottlenecks slowing trade at Nigerian ports.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during the International Customs Day celebration and the official launch of the Time Release Study (TRS).
According to him, the figure represents a 10% performance above target and a 19% year-on-year increase compared to ₦6.1 trillion recorded in 2024.
“Safety and prosperity are not mutually exclusive; Customs stands at the nexus of both,” Adeniyi said, stressing the Service’s dual role of securing the country while facilitating legitimate trade.

₦59bn Seizures: Beyond Revenue Collection
The Customs boss said enforcement operations in 2025 led to over 2,500 seizures with a total duty-paid value of ₦59 billion.
Items intercepted include:
• Narcotics
• Counterfeit medicines
• Wildlife products
• Arms and ammunition
• Petroleum products
• Vehicles
• Substandard consumer goods
Adeniyi said the seizures prevented unsafe medical treatments, organised crime, environmental damage, and fuel subsidy abuse, underscoring that Customs’ responsibilities go beyond revenue to public safety and national security.

Time Release Study Exposes Port Inefficiencies
The newly launched Time Release Study (TRS) — conducted at Tincan Island Port — assessed clearance timelines using data from over 600 cargo declarations.
Key Findings
• Cargo examination time is relatively efficient
• Major delays stem from:
o Fragmented scheduling
o Manual documentation
o Poor inter-agency coordination
The CGC said the findings show that trade efficiency depends not only on security checks but also on procedural reforms.
The TRS will now function as a continuous diagnostic tool to track operations, identify bottlenecks, and guide reforms.

Customs: Port Reforms Need Joint Action
Adeniyi warned that Customs alone cannot fix port inefficiencies, calling for collaboration among:
• Terminal operators
• Shipping companies
• Government agencies
• Truckers and clearing agents
• Banks
• Port authorities
He said the TRS results will drive synchronised inspections, improved coordination, and better system interoperability across stakeholders.

The Road Ahead: Protection + Prosperity
The NCS says its strategy moving forward rests on three pillars:
1. Technology-Driven Enforcement
• Risk management systems
• Non-intrusive inspections
• Post-clearance audits
• Data analytics
• Shift from physical to digital monitoring
2. Procedural Reforms
• Faster cargo clearance
• More transparency
• Elimination of bottlenecks
• Implementation of TRS recommendations
3. Stronger Partnerships
• Collaboration with government agencies and private sector players
• Engagement with financial institutions
• Cooperation with international bodies like the World Customs Organization (WCO)
According to Adeniyi, trade facilitation and national protection are shared responsibilities, requiring coordinated reforms across Nigeria’s port ecosystem.