A combination of tact, intelligence and inter-agency collaboration lead to robust harvest of N2.930 trillion revenue in the 2025 operating year at the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, just as its surveillance activities with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) lead to the interception of illicit substances
By Edu Abade
Apapa Area Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that its activities in 2025 generated a total revenue of ₦2.930 trillion, amounting to an impressive increase of ₦573.295 billion over the ₦2.357 trillion collected in 2024, representing a 24.32 per cent growth.
The performance reinforces Apapa Command’s position as the nation’s leading revenue hub.
In a statement made available to journalists by the Customs Public Relations Officer (PRO) on behalf of the Apapa Port Command, Isah Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, attributed the achievement to effective leadership, disciplined manpower and the strategic deployment of technology under the guidance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
He also commended compliant stakeholders, whose lawful trade practices contributed significantly to the revenue growth, maintaining that a major contributor to the success was the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), also known as B’Odogwu, which enhanced transparency, efficiency and accountability in cargo clearance processes.
“Regular performance reviews and timely revenue recovery measures further strengthened collections. In the area of trade facilitation, the Command intensified stakeholder sensitization following the rollout of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme and expanded the One-Stop Shop (OSS) initiative to ensure faster processing and release of compliant cargoes.
“Efforts are also at an advanced stage to deploy the FS6000 cargo scanning system, a non-intrusive technology capable of scanning up to 200 containers per hour,” he said.
Oshoba added that the Command also recorded enforcement successes, intercepting 53 containers laden with illicit drugs and prohibited items, including cocaine, Canadian Loud, Tramadol and expired pharmaceuticals with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.632 billion. Some of the interceptions in the year 2025 were handed over to relevant agencies such as NDLEA and NAFDAC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Looking ahead, Comptroller Oshoba expressed optimism that the Command would achieve greater revenue milestone in 2026, driven by deeper implementation of B’Odogwu, AEO and OSS, stronger intelligence-led enforcement and expanded collaboration with sister agencies.
He further assured stakeholders of enhanced engagement with terminal operators, shipping companies, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, haulage operators and the media to promote transparency, compliance and seamless trade at the nation’s busiest port.
Meanwhile, in the spirit of inter-agency cooperation, the Nigeria Customs Service and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seize 30.1kg of Cocaine on Marshall Islands-Flagged Vessel at the Apapa Port Lagos.
A statement issued by Isah Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), revealed that in a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the NDLEA intercepted 30 slabs of cocaine weighing 30.1 kilograms concealed onboard the MV Aruna, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel.
It disclosed that the seizure was made on Friday, January 2, 2026 being the first working day of the New Year at the Greenview Terminal within Apapa Port, Lagos, adding that the illicit substance was carefully hidden aboard the ship, underscoring the sophisticated tactics employed by smugglers attempting to exploit the nation’s busiest seaport.
Comptroller Oshoba commended the officers from both agencies for their vigilance and professionalism, saying, “This achievement reflects the strong inter-agency synergy between federal government entities and our commitment to intelligence-led enforcement.
“While criminal elements seek to outsmart us, our officers remain one step ahead, ensuring no smuggling attempt, whether disguised as import, export, or transit cargo, succeeds under my watch.”
He described the interception as a bold statement for 2026, reaffirming the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards illicit trade. In line with established protocols, the NDLEA has taken possession of the seized cocaine for further investigation and potential prosecution of those involved.
This latest bust marks the third major drug interception by the joint NCS-NDLEA team in recent weeks. Barely two weeks ago, the agencies seized 25.5kg of cocaine hidden in five bags aboard another vessel based on intelligence.
Also on December 11, 2025; 1,187kg of “Canadian Loud,” a premium and highly expensive strain of cannabis, packaged in 2,374 parcels across 55 bags and concealed within imported vehicles in a 1x40ft container.
The Area Controller stressed that the Apapa Port Command remains steadfast in its mandate to facilitate legitimate trade while safeguarding national security.
