By Sylvanus OBASI, Lagos
The Tincan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a revenue collection of Five Hundred and Seventy Five Billion, Five Hundred and Five Million, Six Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Eight Hundred and Four Naira and Fifty Nine Kobo only(=N= 575,505,612,804.59) between January and June 2024.
According to a Half Year Revenue and Performance Report of Tincan Island Port Command for 1st January – 31st June in the Fiscal Year 2024, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, the commanded stated as follows:
“Tincan Island Port Command (TCIP) operations for the First Half, January – June 31, Fiscal Year 2024 significantly aligned with the statutory functions of the Service in the areas of Revenue Generation, Trade Facilitation and Enforcement/Anti-smuggling activities.
The Command’s operations were performed in consciousness of the theme of the 2024 International Customs Day, ‘‘Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose.’, with focus on Customs Administrations providing an enabling environment for stakeholders that facilitates and supports businesses and people to recover from the negative effects of the floating exchange rate through collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the supply chain and the use of technology.
Towards this end, the Command further enhanced the existing operational process to conform to the malady of the floating exchange rate regime with the use of technology made available by the NICIS II Software. Such facilities as the ‘846’ Non Standard VIN valuation application, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), Advance Manifest and Selectivity engine enabled a more efficient risk management process mitigating delays in cargo clearance, facilitating legitimate trade and ensuring the collection of appropriate duties and taxes.
With these measures, the Command ensured continuity in the supply chain and the Service’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for business.
REVENUE: Accordingly, in the area of revenue generation for January – June31, 2024, TCIP achieved a revenue collection of Five Hundred and Seventy Five Billion, Five Hundred and Five Million, Six Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Eight Hundred and Four Naira and Fifty Nine Kobo only(=N= 575,505,612,804.59). This is an improvement by =N=315, 248,670,683.90 Billion and a 221.13% increase from the FY 2023 First Half revenue collection of =N=260,256,942,120.69 Billion. (See annex ‘A’)
ENFORCEMENT AND ANTI-SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES
The command’s enforcement and anti-smuggling unit has not been relenting in its efforts to combat smuggling and all forms of criminality. Customs, being the lead agency at the Ports through its enforcement unit has coordinated several 100% physical examination under my supervision in collaboration with critical stakeholders to ensure that the command is freed of any form of non-compliance to the international trade cycle.

The following items were discovered as concealments and seized during the period under review:
- One (1) RZ17HD – 20P9964 – Rifle
- One (1) RZ17HD – 20P9962 – Rifle
- One (1) GAMO – T660739 – Rifle
- One (1) PUMP ACTION – MV0830249 – Rifle
- One (1) RZ17TACTICAL – 30H21PT011992 – Rifle
- One (1) RZ17HD – 20P9929 – Rifle
- One (1) PUMP ACTION – MV0830253 – Rifle
- One (1) PUMP ACTION – MV0830839 – Rifle
- One (1) RZ17HD – 20P10115 – Rifle
- One (1) PUMP ACTION – V1690019 – Rifle
- One (1) PUMP ACTION – 52-H21PT – 3803 – Rifle
- One (1) RZ17HD – 20P9951 – Rifle
- One (1) SAR9 SARSILMARZ T1102-21BV63826 – Pistol.
- One (1) RUGER AMERICAN PISTOL 9MM – Pistol
- One (1) SAR9 SARSILMARZ T1102-21BU51078 – Pistol
- One (1) TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADA 799424 – Pistol
- One (1) TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADC 122309 – Pistol
- One (1) TAURUS G3C – BAIN BRIDGE, GA ADB 941276 – Pistol
- One (1) used Toyota Corolla Chassis Number: 5YFBURH1EP09601: 2014 model.
- Sterling High Quality shot gun cartridges green (12 cal 32 grams – 10packs of 25 pieces each)
- Sterling High Quality shot gun cartridges green (12 cal 30 grams – 20packs of 25 pieces each and 23 extra pieces).
- Seller & Bellot Buck Shot – 55 pieces
- Crossman Co2 12 gram cartridges – 123 pieces
- 1USP CO2 Air Gun Pistol with Accessories Cal. 117 (4.5mm) BB
- Units of Mace Pepper Gun, to Department of State Services (DSS) for further Agency function
- Three plastic drums concealing several packets of Cannabis Indica, forty six bags containing two thousand one hundred and forty four packets of Cannabis Indica all weighing one thousand and seventy two kilogrammes (1,072kg) seized from 01x40ft Container No. GAOU 669921/5 imported from Canada. The approximate street value of the illicit substances is N3, 216,000,000.00 (Three Billion Two Hundred Sixteen Million Naira Only)
- 877 cartons of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine- 200 bottles of 100ml per carton and 82 cartons of Really Extra Diclofenac Sodium 50mg tablets – 600 packs per carton imported from India was seized. The approximate street value of the cough syrup is N964, 339,348.00 (Nine Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty Eight Naira Only).
EXPORT: In the area of Export, the total FOB value of NXP for commercial goods exported through Tincan Island Ports in the first half of 2024 is One Trillion, Thirty Two Billion, Six Hundred and One Million, Forty-Four-Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy –Four Naira Only ( =N=1, 032,601,044,744.00) and a total volume of 489,594.50 Metric Tons (MT) as against export value of 1ST half 2023 of One Hundred and Eighty-Two Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty Three Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Three Thousand Naira Only (=N=182,333,764,943.00) with a total volume of 291,436.00 Metric Tons (MT).
In terms of value, Soya beans was the highest export commodity worth =N= 92,059,078,980.00 while self adhesive was the lowest export commodity with a value of =N=17,560,865.00. (See annex ‘C’)
STAKEHOLDERS ACTIVITIES:
- The Tincan Island Area Command has in the past few weeks engaged with different sections of stakeholders. These meetings have both been virtual and physical.
- The Command has engaged Shipping companies/lines on modalities to automate communication channels to reduce fraudulent manifest transmission, recycled bills of lading and other channels that could lead to revenue loss.
- The Command also engaged Terminal Operators and Barge Operators on Reforms and Standardizations for transire management and seamless movement of cargo in the trade cycle.
- The Command had guests from Ministry of Environment who came to enlighten us that the ban of Wood and Charcoal has been lifted.
Furthermore, in the area of Trade Facilitation, the Command made available facilities for resolving disputes and addressing legitimate complaints of stakeholders as it relates to the customs clearance process via the Dispute Resolution Committee and the Helpdesk. These facilities have been strategic and significant in assisting the Command to maintain a balance between facilitating legitimate trade and collecting appropriate taxes on behalf of Government.
In the meantime, the port access and terminal access roads are undergoing construction works and further decongestion, the Command has continued to facilitate the use of Barge as an alternative means of transport for the movement of custom cargo in line with international best practices, helping to maintain business and flow in the customs clearance process.
APPRECIATION: We continue to express our appreciation for the support and clear sense of direction from the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi, MFR, and the Management of the Nigeria Customs Service for their relentless and continuous efforts towards strengthening the capacity of the Service and introducing innovative methods to perform its statutory responsibilities in line with international best practices.
I also appreciate the contributions of my management team as well as officers and men of the Command and hereby urge them to continue to support this administration as we strive to achieve greater heights”, the CAC stated.