*NCS, TCIP Command Generated N609 bn in 2025.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka has declared that he is trade enabler personified in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) quest to achieve fast clearance of goods in the nation’s seaports.
He disclosed that not less than N609 billion was generated by the command as revenue in 2025.
Onyeka’s declaration is coming on the heels of the workability of the proposed Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) paperless operations scheduled to commence in the second quarter of this year.
He stated this at the conference room of the command headquarters, Apapa, Lagos in his maiden parley with journalists covering the maritime sector ouf the economy recently.
While giving a detail explanation on preparedness of the command to execute the propose paperless regime in the cargo clearance chain in Nigeria’s second busiest port, the CAC averred that he and his colleagues were ready to ensure a smooth take off of the project.
Apparently aware that NCS cannot do it alone, he stated that the command will in the next few weeks engage more stakeholders in the maritime industry to ensure their buy in the new initiative.
He explained that the engagement with stakeholders and other relevant agencies in the cargo chain processes is meant to ensure that goods are cleared in good time and reduce cargo dwell time (CDT) in TCIP to 48 hours.
He revealed that the parley with the journalists covering the maritime sector of the economy is the first among several stakeholders he intends to engage in order to educate them on the strategies towards achieving what he called a “seamless operations” in the propose paperless regime.
Onyeka’s words: “When I resumed here, you gave me support through constructive reportage. Here today, I also want to consistently crave your continued collaboration to make a big success of the paperless regime”
In his review of the command performance in 2025, the CAC revealed that more than N116 billion was generated in January when compared with N145 billion raked into the Federal Government coffers in the same month this year.
“This is more than N29.9 billion compared to the amount generated in January 2025”, he said.
He promised to keep up the momentum in the months ahead as he declared: “We want to do things differently this year. We want to be known as a trader enabler. We should be able to be releasing containers without seeing anybody”.
The CAC described the Comptroller General of NCS, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as “a pillar behind the reforms and one who does not talk much” but is delivering much.
He promised that the command would do everything possible to achieve the objectives set by the NCS boss even as he added: “I want to be known as a trade enabler. In fact, a trade facilitator personified.”
Onyeka however admitted that there are some challenges that may pose a hiccup to the successful execution of the paperless regime but they are not insurmountable.
According to him, network could pose a problem sometimes. However, our officers and men who I choose to describe as ‘serious but not lackadaisical’ will work harder than last year to deliver as expected on the project.
On the belief in some quarters that the NCS new initiative might be sabotage by officers and men who want to continue to benefit from the chaos and corruption in the old order, he said: “We have 21st century officers. We adhere to global principles on trade. If the B’Odogwu could work, then the paperless operations will be a huge success”.
He dismissed the notion in certain quarters that the new initiative may lead to congestion of cargoes at the nation’s seaports, especially TCIP.
Onyeka’s words: “It is a two-way thing. We will bring you here, educate you on how to feed in data. Once you are able to use your laptop, you can drop your documentation online.
Declaring rightly will make it work. The One-Stop-Shop situation will arise when issues are detected, but once you declare well, there will be no issues. In the spirit of the paperless operation, files will not be unnecessarily left untreated.
“Where problems arise, they will be thoroughly discussed with a view to speedily dispense with it. We will ease business in Nigeria by not strangulating traders. The command’s strategy is to rake in ‘collectible revenue’ and not necessarily ‘maximum revenue’
The Tinubu administration came in not to choke Nigerians but to make life worth it”.
According to him, once goods are scanned and images are clear, consignments declared with no ambiguity, they will be released. But if the images are not visible, they will be subjected to one hundred per cent examination.
The Customs Chief expressed confidence that the command will be on top of its game just as he pointed out that once the risk machine flags the red flag, the consignment will be fully examined.
He revealed that the command is on the lookout for cargoes from countries that are notorious as origin for uncustomed goods.
According to him, these countries are already on the watch list of the NCS High Command. Our desire to facilitate trade will not in any way hinder us from ensuring that Nigeria’s national security is not in any way jeopardize.
