The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recorded a historic revenue performance in 2025, generating ₦7.28 trillion, surpassing its annual target by ₦697 billion, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, has disclosed. The figure represents a 10 per cent positive variance over the ₦6.58 trillion benchmark and a 19 per cent year-on-year increase from 2024 collections. Adeniyi announced the achievement during the 2026 International Customs Day and the launch of Nigeria’s Time Release Study (TRS) report in Lagos.
According to the Customs boss, revenue rose from ₦6.1 trillion in 2024, reflecting an increase of ₦1.18 trillion in a single year. He attributed the growth to improved compliance, effective use of data, digital tools and disciplined enforcement rather than increased pressure on legitimate traders.
Adeniyi emphasised that the gains were achieved alongside stronger collaboration with the private sector and sustained commitment to trade facilitation, noting that the service deliberately avoided arbitrary enforcement practices.
The announcement coincided with the official unveiling of Nigeria’s Time Release Study, conducted at Tincan Island Port, which measures cargo clearance efficiency and identifies systemic delays. The TRS is widely recognised as a global benchmark tool promoted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to enhance transparency, predictability and competitiveness in trade.
This year’s World Customs Day, themed “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment,” underscored the dual mandate of customs administrations to safeguard national security while enabling economic growth.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Udoka-Anite, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service. She said government support would continue through financing, leadership and institutional capacity-building aimed at transparency and accountability.
Udoka-Anite noted that insights from the TRS would guide future policy decisions in infrastructure development, investment planning and social development, adding that collaboration with the private sector and development partners remains critical to sustainable operations.
Adeniyi revealed that customs officers, working with sister agencies, disrupted multiple criminal supply chains nationwide in 2025. At Apapa Port, officers seized 16 containers of prohibited goods valued at over ₦10 billion, including expired pharmaceuticals, narcotics and concealed firearms.
At Nigerian airports, customs officials intercepted over 1,600 exotic birds trafficked without CITES permits, preventing major wildlife crimes. Across land borders and ports, seizures included illicit drugs, counterfeit medicines, ammunition and other prohibited items worth over ₦59 billion, spanning more than 2,500 enforcement actions.
The Customs chief said these interventions prevented widespread social harm, including drug abuse, violent crime, environmental degradation and unsafe medical treatments. He stressed that modern customs administration must balance vigilance with facilitation, using intelligence-led and technology-driven enforcement to detect high-risk consignments without disrupting lawful trade
Adeniyi announced plans to institutionalise reforms aimed at reducing clearance times, improving transparency and eliminating bottlenecks. He said recommendations from the TRS—such as synchronised inspections, improved gate coordination and system interoperability—would be fully implemented.
“The challenge is not that we cannot move goods quickly,” he said. “It is that goods are often not allowed to move fast due to fragmented processes and poor coordination.”
