Customs TinCan Island Port Command generates N135.44bn in Q1

The TinCan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N135.44 billion in the first quarter of the year.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Olakunle Oloyede, made this known at a media conference in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to Oloyede, this is an improvement of N22.74 billion, translating to 20.18 per cent, on the first quarter 2021 collection of N112.69 billion.

He said that the command’s operations for the first quarter significantly aligned with the statutory responsibilities of the service.

Oloyede said this was so in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement/anti-smuggling activities.

On export, he said that the total tonnage of goods exported through the command for the period under review was 71,014.4 metric tonnes with a total Free On Board (FOB) value of N56,205,901,295.

He said that in the preceding year, January-March 2021, the total tonnage of goods exported through the command was 44,502.9 metric tonnes with a total FOB value of N31,371,825,954.

“Comparatively, between January to March 2021 and 2022, the tonnage of goods exported through the Command increased from 44,502.9 metric tons to 71,014 representing an increase of 62.67 per cent.

“The FOB Value in Naira of the tonnage also increased from N31,371,825,954 to N56,205,901,295 representing an increase of 55.82 per cent within the period under review.”

He said that commodities exported through the command include copper ingots, stainless steel ingots and sesame seeds.

Oloyede also listed cashew nuts, cocoa beans, rubber, cocoa butter, leather, ginger and frozen shrimps among the commodities.

In the area of enforcement and anti-smuggling activities, Oloyede said that seized items include 145kg of Colorado (hemp) concealed in 2 units of Ridgeline trucks and 2 units of Toyota Corolla vehicles.

He also listed 206,000 pieces of machetes, 640 bales of used clothes, 236,500 pieces of used shoes, among others as part of the seized items.

Oloyede said that the seized items had a Duty Paid Value amounting to N1,048,810,569.

“The import of these products contravenes Sections 46, 478 161 of the Customs & Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45 LFN 2004,” he said.

Oloyede said that the command was still facing challenges in the area of treatment of overtime cargo because of the non-implementation of the extant laws guiding uncleared cargo.

“Additionally, the lack of government warehouses at close proximity to the port has led to difficulties in logistics and handling cost,” he said.

On the 2022 fiscal policy, he said that a 90-day grace period had been given for the implementation of the new duty and excise rates.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance has recently published the 2022 Fiscal Policy with an effective date of April 1, however, with the 90-day grace period, it will take effect from June 1.

“As much as the Service is putting in the effort to make the necessary adjustments, we are experiencing minor delays in its full implementation because the system is not designed to be retroactive,” he said.

He appreciated the support being received from the Comptroller General and the management of the service

Oloyede thanked them for their relentless effort towards strengthening the capacity of the service to perform its statutory responsibilities in line with international best practices.

He said that the command was optimistic that the e-customs agenda and deployment of non-intrusive technology, such as scanners, would help them achieve more.