Apapa Customs Command:End Of Glorious Era,As OLomu Bows Out After Record-Breaking Tenure

Apapa Customs Command:End Of Glorious Era,As OLomu
Bows Out After Record-Breaking Tenure
…….records unprecedented revenue collections of over ₦1.83 trillion between May 2024, September 2025
……Oshoba assumes office, pledges collaboration, reforms

L-R New CAC APAPA Command, Comptroller EOA Oshoba receiving the flag of authority front the out going CAC,ACG Babatunde Olomu, during hand over ceremony at the command ,on Monday,8 September,2025

By Frank Odinukaeze

The outgoing Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, now elevated to the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG), Dr. Babatunde Olomu, has bid farewell to officers, stakeholders, and the maritime community after what he described as a “fulfilling but challenging” 15-month tenure.
Speaking at his formal handover to the new CAC, Comptroller EOA Oshoba, on Monday, Olomu reflected on his time in office, recalling achievements that positioned Apapa Command as the flagship of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
He disclosed that under his leadership, the command recorded unprecedented revenue collections totaling over ₦1.83 trillion between May 2024 and September 2025, including landmark daily revenue collections of ₦17.9 billion in June 2024, ₦18.2 billion in October 2024, and ₦18.9 billion in March 2025. In August 2025 alone, the command raked in ₦214.9 billion through the Unified Customs Management System, otherwise called B’Odogwu.

L-R out going CAC ,ACG Babatunde Olomu looks on as new CAC, Apapa command, Comptroller EOA Oshoba signs the the hand over document

“These milestones did not come by accident. They were the result of teamwork, consistency, and strict adherence to the policy direction of the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,” Olomu said.
Under his watch, Apapa Command won several awards, including Best Command in Revenue Generation and Best Command in Trade Facilitation at the Comptroller-General’s annual conference, while he himself was recognized as the Overall Best Area Controller of 2024.
Beyond revenue, Olomu highlighted strides in trade facilitation, citing Nigeria’s historic first shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in July 2024, which departed from Apapa Port to five African countries. Another shipment to Kenya in November 2024 further showcased Nigeria’s commitment to inter-African trade.
He equally emphasized the Command’s firm stance against smuggling, revealing that in 15 months, officers intercepted 75 seizures, comprising 62 x 40ft and 13 x 20ft containers of contraband, including substandard pharmaceuticals, codeine syrup, tramadol, cannabis, and used clothing.

On stakeholder engagement, the outgoing CAC noted that he maintained an open-door policy and ensured constant dialogue with port users, sister agencies, and the media, which he credited as a key factor behind the command’s success.
“I am deeply grateful to the Almighty God, the Comptroller-General, my officers and men, stakeholders, and sister security agencies for the unwavering support I enjoyed throughout my service here,” Olomu said.

He urged officers, men, and stakeholders to extend greater cooperation to his successor, Comptroller Oshoba, to enable him to surpass the ₦3 trillion annual revenue target for 2025.
“As I move on to a higher responsibility as an ACG, I leave this command fulfilled and optimistic that Apapa will continue to soar higher,” he concluded.
In his acceptance speech,the newly appointed Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, Comptroller E.O.A. Oshoba, pledged to consolidate on the successes of his predecessor and drive reforms anchored on collaboration, transparency, and trade facilitation.
Speaking further at the handover ceremony from outgoing Controller, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Babatunde Olomu, fsi, Oshoba described his posting to Apapa as “a humbling trust” bestowed on him by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, dsm, psc(+), and the NCS management team.

Unprecedented revenue generation: N1.83tr,achieved by ACG Babatunde Olomu within 15 months,from May 2024- September ,2025
“Apapa is at the center of customs operations and reforms in Nigeria. I am deeply humbled by the trust placed in me to lead this command, and I assure you that I will work with all stakeholders to sustain and surpass the standards already set,” he said.
Oshoba commended ACG Olomu for the command’s sterling performance in revenue generation, anti-smuggling operations, and trade facilitation, noting that his leadership left a record of excellence worthy of emulation.
Unveiling his agenda, Oshoba declared that his leadership would be guided by what he called the “three Ls” — Look, Listen and Learn. According to him, this approach will help him understand the challenges of the command, engage stakeholders meaningfully, and find lasting solutions together.
“I solicit maximum support from all officers, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and port users. Your ideas, passion, and expertise are the foundation on which my service here shall be built. No one succeeds alone, and I am here to work alongside you — not just as a leader, but as a partner in our shared mission,” he stressed.
The new CAC highlighted ongoing modernization initiatives within the Service, particularly the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), popularly known as B’Odògwú, which he pledged to strengthen for greater efficiency. He also emphasized his commitment to advancing trade facilitation programs such as the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), Time Release Study (TRS), and Advanced Ruling (AR), which, he said, positioned Nigeria Customs Service ahead of its peers in Africa.

“With Nigeria producing the current Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, we are in the global spotlight. It is, therefore, our duty to uphold compliance and unwavering adherence to legal frameworks guiding import, export, and excise operations,” Oshoba remarked.
He assured stakeholders that his leadership would prioritize transparency, integrity, and collective achievement, adding that successes recorded under his watch would be shared milestones.
“I am here on a mission to sustain the excellent records achieved before my arrival and, by the grace of God, we shall jointly break new grounds to do greater things for Nigeria through Apapa Port,” he concluded.

The event was attended by terminal and unit heads, stakeholders, and members of the press, who witnessed the symbolic transition of leadership at the country’s busiest port command,thus marking an end of a glorious era in Apapa command characterised by record breaking achievements of ACG Babatunde Olomu.