NPA, Customs Generate N770bn for FG in Seven Months

ABIOLA Seun |

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated a whopping N770billion from the nation’s maritime industry in seven months.

While the Customs Service generated N652billion, the Nigerian Ports Authority generated N118biillion in the months under review.

But, while the NPA’s revenue was generated from revenues from traffic, harbours, administrative and other sources, the Customs service generated its revenue from Value Added Taxes (VAT), Import Duty and taxes.

According to statistics made available to nigeriamaritme360.com, the revenue collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from January to July 2018, was N652billion with a breakdown of the revenue collection showing that it generated N96.6 billion in Jan., N79.26 billion in Feb., N87.58 billion in March and N94.3 billion in April.

The organization also generated N100.5 billion in May, N98.4 billion in June, N94.9 billion in July.

The revenue generated in January to July 2018 by the customs service is N70billion higher than what was generated in 2017.

However, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) generated N118billion from January to July 2018 as against N113billion generated in 2017.

According to the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala -Usman the authority would aggressively pursue its debt so as to shore up the revenue before year end.

“From January to July 2018, N118bn was generated as against N113bn for 2017, the same period. We are hopeful that we will aggressively pursue more of our debt and revenue so that we can shore up revenue as much as we can,” she explained.

Recall that the authority in 2017 generated N299.56 billion which stands at its highest revenue in five years.

The last time the agency yielded a remarkable income was in 2015 when it recorded revenue of N180.50 billion.

It generated N154.50 billion in 2013, N159.30 billion in 2014 and N162.20 billion in 2016.

“The 2017 figure declared by the authority is made up of revenues from traffic, harbours, administrative and others sources in the sum of N136.04 billion, N66.80 billion, N86.06 billion and N10.75 billion respectively,” the statement read.

In December, Hadiza Bala-Usman, managing director of the agency, hinted that NPA surpassed its 2017 revenue target.

According to her, “Over N118 billion was raked in, in the first quarter of the year (2017)”.

“We are grateful that we have attained most of the goals that we set for ourselves,” she had said.

“We have maintained an open door policy which has made it possible to achieve the very important task of repositioning port operations in Nigeria for better efficiency.”