The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area 2 Command, Onne, has exceeded its annual revenue target by generating a total of ₦634 billion for the year 2024, surpassing the set goal of ₦618 billion. This achievement represents 103% of the target and marks a remarkable 98% increase over the previous year’s revenue collection, which saw a boost of ₦321 billion.
At a press briefing held on Tuesday, Comptroller Mohammed Babadende of the Area 2 Command revealed that the exceptional revenue performance was largely attributed to effective stakeholder engagement, intelligence sharing, and enhanced collaboration with partners. The Command’s unwavering commitment to service delivery and trade facilitation played a crucial role in driving this success.
“We have worked tirelessly to surpass our targets, and I am pleased to report that we have achieved significant growth in revenue. Our officers and men have demonstrated great dedication, and I commend them for their resilience,” said Babadende.
In addition to the revenue results, the Command’s anti-smuggling efforts have been equally commendable. A total of 76 container seizures were made, including illicit drugs, arms, ammunition, and other prohibited items. The total duty-paid value of these seizures stood at ₦150.87 billion. Notably, 12 containers, with a duty-paid value of ₦20.3 billion, contained over 12 million bottles and tablets of illicit medicine, such as codeine and tramadol, which were intercepted in the last quarter of the year.
“The success of this year’s operations underscores our vigilance in ensuring that harmful and illicit goods do not enter the country through our ports,” Babadende added.
In export, the Command processed a total of 2.7 million metric tonnes of goods valued at over ₦1.26 trillion, including key agricultural and mineral products such as sesame seeds, aluminum ingots, and urea. This reflects the continued growth of Nigeria’s export trade and the efficiency of the Command in facilitating international commerce.
Further highlighting the year’s achievements, Babadende noted that the Command had also received accolades for its role in intercepting arms and ammunition. In recognition of these efforts, eight officers were awarded special promotions. Additionally, 14 Deputy Comptrollers were promoted to Comptroller, and several other officers were elevated in recognition of their hard work.
Looking ahead to 2025, Babadende emphasised the Command’s determination to maintain momentum in both revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations. He expressed confidence that continued collaboration with stakeholders would help build on the success of 2024 and deliver even greater results in the coming year.
“We are committed to delivering more, and we look forward to achieving even greater outcomes in 2025. Together, we can ensure the security and prosperity of our nation,” he concluded.
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