The Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Navy have pledged closer operational ties to strengthen security and protect revenue at the Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Nigeria’s busiest maritime gateway.
At a strategic meeting in Lagos, Apapa Area Controller Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba met with Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, in a move both sides described as a renewed and coordinated push to safeguard the vital port corridor and ensure seamless trade.
Apapa port accounts for a substantial share of Nigeria’s imports and customs earnings, placing inter-agency collaboration at the heart of economic stability. Oshoba said the strengthened partnership reflects the reform agenda of Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, centred on consolidation, collaboration and innovation. He stressed that modern border management requires real-time cooperation, noting that while Customs drives trade facilitation and revenue generation, it also plays a critical national security role.
Describing innovation as achieving better results through new approaches, Oshoba praised the Navy’s role in securing the nation’s waters and called for sustained support to guarantee safe berthing, smooth cargo evacuation and tighter corridor security.
Rear Admiral Mustapha reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment, emphasising that effective port security depends on inter-agency coordination. He commended Customs for curbing revenue leakages and surpassing national targets, linking the gains directly to infrastructure growth and stronger social support systems.