The Nigeria Customs Service says its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme has delivered a major boost to revenue and trade efficiency, with earnings from certified companies rising to ₦1.585 trillion from ₦1.222 trillion prior to certification, a 29.68 per cent increase.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Customs National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the ₦362.79 billion growth was recorded across 51 AEO-certified entities as of 27 October 2025 and accounted for 21.77 per cent of the Service’s total ₦7.281 trillion revenue collection for the year. Customs duties paid by the firms also surged by 85.66 per cent, reflecting stronger compliance and higher volumes of legitimate trade.
An AEO monitoring and evaluation report showed an average compliance rate of 85.45 per cent among participants, ranging from 60 to 100 per cent, with assessment processes aligned to the World Customs Organisation SAFE Framework and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Maiwada said the scheme had also transformed trade facilitation, cutting average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, a 75.6 per cent reduction, while company operating costs fell by 57.2 per cent and demurrage payments dropped by 90 per cent, helping retain foreign exchange and reduce capital flight to overseas port service providers. Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 per cent through digitalisation, simplified procedures and targeted risk management.
The Service commended several major operators, including Coleman Technical Industries, WACOT Rice, ROMSON Oil Field Services, WACOT, Chi Farms, CORMART Nigeria, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Nigerian Bottling Company and MTN Nigeria Communications, for voluntarily remitting more than ₦1 billion to the Federation Account after internal transaction reviews and disclosures, describing the move as evidence of stronger post-clearance audit systems and a growing culture of voluntary compliance.
However, Customs said it had suspended the AEO status of a recently certified company after discovering false declaration of consignments in breach of programme rules. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, ordered the sanction in line with AEO guidelines, the WCO SAFE Framework and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Maiwada said the AEO scheme remained anchored on trust, transparency and continuous compliance, stressing that compliant operators would continue to enjoy expedited clearance and fewer inspections, while violations would attract sanctions.
He added that the NCS remained committed to protecting national revenue, facilitating legitimate trade and safeguarding the integrity and global credibility of Nigeria’s AEO framework.