Tin-Can Customs revenue increases by 28 percent in Q1

Funso Olojo |

The Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it collected N104.5 billion as revenue for the federal government in four months of 2018. This was against the N116billion collected in 2017 in the same months under review.

This was disclosed at the press briefing by the Customs Area Comptroller of the command, Compt. Musa Baba Abdulahi .
According to the CAC, the improved revenue was driven by the blockage of areas of revenue leakages.

“The revenue collection for the period under review January -April 2018 amounted to the sum of N104.5billion as against a projection collection of the sum of N116billion, recording a performance of 90.09 percent.
“The improved collection so far has been driven by the establishment of standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and strong revenue drive achieved through blocking of area of revenue leakages.”

Meanwhile, the diversification drive of the federal government is fast gaining momentum as agricultural and manufactured commodities worth N29.146bn were exported out of the country through the Tin-Can Island Port in the first quarter of 2018. This was against the N7.246billion that was exported in the same period of 2017 at the same command. The Customs Area Comptroller of the command, Musa Baba Abdullahi disclosed that the agricultural commodities exported through the command amounted to N22.435bn within three months.
He further explained that the processed and manufactured goods exported in the same period amounted to N6.711billion.

His words, “The federal government initiative on export especially the agriculture commodities is yielding result, for year period under review, January to March, 2018.
“The Agricultural produce Export was 38,517 metric tonnes while the Free On Board (FOB)value of export was N22.435 billion. Also, the FOB value of processed and manufactured goods exported in the same period amounted to N6.711billion while 6945 metric tonnes were generated from manufactured goods export.”

The CAC said that the goods exported include Cashew nuts, Rubber, hibiscus flowers, cocoa butter, sesame seeds, processed wood, frozen shrimps and processed leather. Others from the manufactured products include empty bottle, biscuit, cigarette, Polyethylene, billets, soap, hair cream and tissue paper.

The CAC also confirmed the report that containers laden with banned tramadol were intercepted by the command.Items also seized along with tramadol included toxic waste, second hand clothing and used tyres worth N124million. He said, “A 1×40 and 1×20 containers of Tramadol Hydrochloride [225mg] which were declared as electrical static converters and ciprofloxacin were intercepted.

“We are collaborating with NAFDAC and NDLEA on this seizure.
“Also, a 3×40 containers of e-waste which are considered toxic to the environment/health. We are also collaborating with NESREA on this seizure. Another 5×40 containers of Second hand Clothing consisting of about 1,239 bales of clothing prohibited under the absolute import prohibition list and 1×40 container of used tyres as contain in lmport Prohibition List for trade.