Outstanding Performance: Nigeria Customs Service Records ₦1.75 Trillion Revenue in Q1 2025, Seizes ₦7.7 Billion Worth Of Smuggled Goods

Outstanding Performance:
Nigeria Customs Service Records ₦1.75 Trillion Revenue in Q1 2025, Seizes ₦7.7 Billion Worth Of Smuggled Goods

CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR

By Frank Odinukaeze

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a record breaking revenue collection of ₦1.75 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing its quarterly target by ₦106.5 billion and recording a nearly 30% year-on-year increase.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a press briefing held at the Service’s Corporate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday. He attributed the impressive performance to ongoing reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the supervision of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Olawale Edun.

“In Q1 2025, we collected ₦1,751,502,252,298.05 – a 106.47% performance against our ₦1.645 trillion target. This reflects a 29.96% increase compared to the same period in 2024,” Adeniyi stated.

According to month-by-month breakdowns, January 2025 saw the highest collection with ₦647.88 billion – a 65.77% increase over January 2024. February and March also outperformed projections with ₦540.1 billion and ₦563.5 billion collected, respectively.

Crackdown on Smuggling Intensifies

On ant- smuggling,the CGC noted that the NCS also reported 298 seizures worth ₦7.7 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV), up 78.41% from the previous quarter. Key interceptions included 135,474 bags of rice, 65,819 litres of petroleum products, and narcotics worth ₦730.7 million. Wildlife product seizures stood out with a DPV of ₦5.65 billion, signaling intensified anti-trafficking efforts.

A cross section of officers at the briefing in the  NCS Headquarters,Abuja,.

“The seizure of high-value wildlife products and narcotics underscores our commitment to both national security and global environmental conventions,” the Comptroller-General added.
According to Adeniyi,in Q1 2025, the Service processed 327,928 import declarations, a 5.28% increase from Q1 2024. Export volumes also surged, with 5.03 billion kilograms shipped, despite a 24.4% drop in export declarations.

The Customs boss credited the rise in trade volume to facilitation reforms and initiatives such as the expansion of the indigenous B’Odogwu clearance platform and the launch of the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programme. Additionally, customs waivers on key food imports contributed to a 12-18% drop in food prices.

“Food security is national security,” Adeniyi emphasized, noting that waivers on maize, rice, and sorghum are now impacting affordability across Nigeria.

The CGC however noted that these achievements were not without challenges.He said the NCS faced notable challenges, including exchange rate volatility and the suspension of the four percent FOB policy. The average exchange rate for the quarter was ₦1,521.59 per USD, fluctuating 62 times.

Looking ahead, Adeniyi said the Service will focus on modernization and improved service delivery. Plans include extending the B’Odogwu platform, deploying advanced risk management tools, and investing in human capital development.

“We’ve collected ₦1.75 trillion, made impactful seizures, and launched reforms that matter. These numbers show we’re delivering,” Adeniyi declared.

He thanked customs officers, government partners, stakeholders, and the media for their continued support, reiterating the Service’s commitment to transparency, enforcement, and national development.