To demonstrate their doggedness as first tier commands of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Apapa Area 1 and TinCan Island Port Commands again blaze the trail in their activities for the first four months of 2025, as the Premier Port Command records an impressive one trillion Naira in revenue generation, while the TinCan Command records its first Single Goods Declaration (SGD) on the B’Odogwu platform
By Edu Abade
As 2025 glides towards its first half, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a landmark achievement of over one trillion Naira revenue collection in just four months and 11 days of the year, a development stakeholders project will, again, make the command surpass its revenue target for the year.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command, Tunde Ayagbalo, a Superintendent of Customs, disclosed the rare achievement in a statement made available to newsmen, he said the feat represented an unusual breakthrough in the history of the Command.
Ayagbalo said the command’s revenue collection amounted to ₦1,002 trillion, coming in over 45 days ahead of the command’s first half-year report of operational activities.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area 1 Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, attributed the success to a blend of leadership direction of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, especially in blocking areas of revenue leakages and the diligent discharge of functions on the part of officers and men of the command.
Olomu said: “Our award-winning reputation remains unshaken as we intensify efforts to maintain our excellent record as the leading Customs Command domiciled in the nation’s Premier Port. Hitting the one trillion Naira mark before the middle of the fifth month, is a confirmation of the command’s readiness to surpass the ₦2.3 trillion collected last year before December 2024.
“But even with our collection of over one trillion Naira, for which the Apapa Customs has created a new record in only four months into 2025, the revenue collection milestone shows we are not resting on our oars. We are determined to keep performing better.”
While commending the officers of the command for sustaining the rising tempo of work which he instituted since May 2024, when he assumed office as the CAC Apapa Command, the Controller called for increased efforts in ensuring maximum collection, suppression of smuggling through diligent cargo examination and facilitation of lawful trade.
Olomu also admonished all officers and men of the command to sustain and improve on intelligence sharing, robust interaction and cooperation with sister government agencies and regular stakeholder engagements to achieve more and contribute to the nation’s economic well-being.
Comptroller Olomu said the policy thrust of the CGC Adeniyi, which includes deployment of a Unified Customs Management System, also known as the B’Odogwu, has shown prospects for higher productivity by the Command.
He said with the ongoing training of licensed Customs agents and freight forwarders ahead of the full deployment of the B’Odogwu platform, the Command’s chances of surpassing the 2024 collection and meeting the 2025 target are higher.
He said, “This recent revenue collection milestone only goes to show we are not resting on our oars. Going by the examples of our CGC, we have resolved not to be complacent.
“It’s important we thank our compliant stakeholders for their support in this journey of national service and reiterate that any unlawful behaviour that seeks to undermine national economic drive or compromise the country’s security shall be prevented with full sanctions of the law coming down on perpetrators.”
Last year, the Command won several awards for revenue collection, including the CGC’s Award of Excellence, while Comptroller Olomu emerged ‘Best Controller of the Year’ for his exceptional leadership and improving on the command’s capacity to deliver on its mandates at the Award night held in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Tin Can Island Port Command disclosed that it has successfully captured the first Single Goods Declaration (SGD) on the indigenous B’Odogwu platform.
The event, which took place on Monday, May 12, 2025, marked a significant step in trade facilitation, transparency and operational efficiency at one of the country’s busiest seaports.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, SC OE Ivara, the Command maintained that the successful deployment and processing of the inaugural SGD on the B’Odogwu platform is a reflection of the Service’s ongoing commitment to digital transformation, in line with the Federal Government’s drive to enhance the ease of doing business in the ports.
Speaking on the success of the platform, the CAC of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, said, “This achievement demonstrates our readiness to embrace technology that streamlines cargo clearance procedures, reduces dwell time, and improves service delivery. The B’Odogwu platform has shown great promise, and we are proud to be pioneers in its implementation.”
Comptroller Onyeka further revealed that the Command has achieved 100 percent network infrastructure coverage across all terminals and the Command’s headquarters, stressing that the problem of network failure has become a thing of the past in ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient processing of cargo and trade documentation.
He further stated that the B’Odogwu platform was designed to integrate seamlessly with existing Customs systems, providing a user-friendly interface for all declarations, broking agents and other stakeholders. It enhances cargo tracking, document processing, and compliance management in real-time, reducing manual bottlenecks and opportunities for delays.
Comptroller Onyeka noted that the launch was preceded by a series of extensive training sessions and stakeholder engagements organised by the Command in collaboration with system developers.
He said, “Key industry participants-including shipping lines, customs licensed agents, terminal operators, and customs officers- participated in the capacity-building initiative. The training sessions were designed to ensure the seamless adoption of the new platform and covered critical areas such as system navigation, document processing, cargo tracking, and compliance protocols.
“Industry stakeholders, including SteveJosh Logistics International Limited, whose declaration was the first to be captured on the new platform, welcomed the innovation, expressed optimism that the new platform will reduce transaction costs and improve Nigeria’s global trade competitiveness.
“The Tincan Island Port Command remains committed to embracing technological advancements that support the nation’s economic growth and international trade a
genda,” the statement added.
