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Nigerian farmers and manufacturers have exported agric produce and manufactured goods measuring about 45.462 metric tons through the Tin-Can Island Port, in the first quarter of the year, January to March, Tin-Can Island Port Customs Command (TICP), has said.
The command also recorded a total Free on Board (FoB) value of N29.146 billion on the export goods within the period under review.
“This represents an appreciable improvement of 558.46 percent in volume of the export trade through Tin-Can port, when compared with 8,140.6 metric tons of goods with FoB value of N7.246 billion, exported through TICP, the same period in 2017,” Abdullahi Musa, Customs Area Controller of TICP, said on Tuesday in Lagos.
Musa, who gave the command’s first quarter report to newsmen, said that the Federal Government initiative on export especially the agricultural commodities has started yielding result as many farmers and manufacturers, now earn foreign exchange by taking their produce to the international markets.
He listed the most popular agricultural produce being exported through Tin-Can Port to include cashew nut, rubber, hibiscus flower, cocoa butter, sesame seed, processed wood frozen shrimps and processed leather.
According to him, Nigerian manufacturers also export finished products such as empty bottles, biscuit, cigarette, polyethylene, billets, soap, hair cream and tissue paper to other countries.
On the revenue generated from payment of import duties and levies within the period under review, Musa said that the command collected the sum of N104.5 billion against a projected revenue of N116 billion.
“This sum represents growth in revenue profile of the command compared to the sum of N82.154 billion, which shows a difference of about N22.68 billion, equivalent to 27.61 percent growth,” he explained.
He attributed the increased in revenue collection to the establishment of standard operating produce (SOP) and strong revenue drive achieved through blocking of areas of revenue leakages.
Continuing, Musa said: “TICP is committed to transforming its revenue collection and reporting system with the implementation of the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS 11), which has an additional functionality compared to NICIS 1. We are also introducing one-stop-shop system that will enable the treatment of declarations with valuations, classification and other related clearance issues and queries.”
On anti-smuggling, the command also intercepted one by 40 foot and one by 20 foot containers of Tramadol Hydrochloride, declared as electrical static converters and ciprofloxacin; three by 40 foot containers of electronic waste considered as toxic to health and environment; five by 40 foot containers of second hand clothing and one by 40 foot container of used tyres, all contained in the import prohibition list and have duty paid value (DPV) of N124million.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
