Nigeria Customs Service posted a revenue of N7.2 trillion in 2025, as tighter controls and new digital systems lifted collections at the country’s borders.
Bashir Adeniyi, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), announced the figures on Monday at the International Customs Day event in Abuja, noting an overperformance against the “target of 6.5 trillion in the positive variance of N697 billion,” hailing the performance as “a growth of over 10 percent against [Customs] target,” It is
In 2024, the Service collected just over N6.1 trillion, which prompted a controversial review from the Senate committee on Customs, placing the target at N10 trillion.
The stronger revenue performance came alongside stepped-up enforcement. Adeniyi said Customs recorded more than 2,000 seizures during the year, intercepting prohibited and harmful goods, including narcotics, counterfeit and substandard consumer products, with a combined value estimated at about N59 billion.
He also flagged an increase in wildlife trafficking cases, particularly at airports, where large consignments of trafficked birds were seized.
Despite the gains, Adeniyi acknowledged persistent bottlenecks at Nigeria’s ports.
He said delays were driven less by Customs processes and more by structural constraints across the port system, stressing that faster cargo movement would require joint action by Customs, port authorities and maritime operators.
“Our challenge is that we cannot move goods fast, it is that goods are not allowed to move fast.”
Border security and procedural reforms, he added, remained the quickest way to protect society while facilitating trade.
Revenue growth was most visible at the major Lagos ports.
Read also: Customs records revenue at ports not enough to meet Senate’s target
Tin Can Island Port generated about N1.57 trillion as of December 11, 2025, up from roughly N1.25 trillion a year earlier.
Frank Onyeka, the area controller, attributed the increase to tighter internal coordination, improved compliance and intelligence-led operations, with bulk cargo, general merchandise and used vehicles accounting for most volumes.
Apapa Port, the country’s largest revenue-generating command, posted collections of about N2.93 trillion, representing growth of more than 20 percent from 2024.
Emmanuel Oshoba, the area controller, said the performance was driven by stronger leadership, disciplined manpower and greater use of technology, particularly the Unified Customs Management System, known as B’Odogwu, which is designed to reduce manual clearance and improve transparency.
Customs plans to expand the rollout of B’Odogwu nationwide and deploy new high-capacity cargo scanners at key ports.
Adeniyi also unveiled the Time Release Study, describing it as a continuous diagnostic tool aimed at making Nigeria’s trade environment more secure, predictable and globally competitive. “it mirrors how others see our system, and has challenged us to respond.”
