Customs generates N140.4bn in August – Official

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it recorded its highest ever monthly revenue of N140.4 billion in August 2018.

The Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Attah, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) said the improvement was as a result of dogged pursuit of several reform programmes.

Ali highlighted some of the reforms to include strategic deployment of manpower and upgrade on the electronic systems from Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS I) to NICIS II which had succeeded in blocking leakages.

He also said the increase in revenue was as a result of strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the NCS Tariff and Trade Department and robust stakeholder engagements resulting in higher compliance.

The NCS boss said the increased disposition of Officers and Men to change their way of doing things for the better had impacted positively on the organisation’s productivity.

“The implementation of three pronged Presidential mandate of ‘Restructure, Reform and Raise revenue’ in NCS has continued to strengthen the Service as a crucial contributor to National economy and Security.

“The Service has effectively seized 156,090 bags of smuggled rice, 15,632 sets of military wears, 489,000 ammunitions and other items.

“This is in addition to the highest monthly revenue collection of over N140 billion in August 2018.

“This positive harvest in the areas of anti-smuggling and revenue generation is a clear testimony of what can be achieved under a selflessly focused leadership,” Ali said in a statement.

The NCS boss called on Nigerians to support the Service by providing credible information that would help nip smuggling in the bud and generate the needed revenue for national development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the month of July, the NCS declared N556.7 billion as revenue generated from January to June, 2018.