Trade Facilitation Remains My Watchword — Wale
…As Command Seizes ₦1.98bn Worth of Contraband in One Month
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has achieved a remarkable 182 percent surge in revenue and confiscated contraband goods valued at nearly ₦2 billion within a single month, under the leadership of its new Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga.
Speaking at his maiden press briefing, Comptroller Adenuga attributed the feat to the renewed commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, toward promoting transparency, innovation, and collaboration across the Service.
He disclosed that the Command generated ₦1,500,029,233.88 in September 2025 — a significant rise from ₦531,462,332.45 in August — marking an increase of over 182 percent.
“This remarkable growth demonstrates the impact of the CGC’s reform agenda, anchored on compliance, transparency, and data-driven monitoring,” he said.
Adenuga reaffirmed his alignment with the CGC’s strategic pillars of Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation, emphasizing that “Trade facilitation remains the hallmark of our administration. When trade is simplified, costs are reduced, and revenue grows.”
He added that the Command is working to streamline procedures, enhance inter-agency cooperation, and ensure legitimate traders benefit from Customs modernization and regional trade integration along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.
As part of efforts to support the Federal Government’s economic diversification drive, Adenuga revealed that the Command processed the export of 53,989.46 metric tonnes of goods valued at ₦7,969,376,198.78, generating a NESS fee of ₦39,868,354.42.
“These exports, consisting of agricultural and manufactured goods, highlight the growing confidence of exporters in Seme as a viable trade hub under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS),” he noted.
On anti-smuggling operations, the Comptroller reported several significant interceptions — notably five trucks carrying 10,000 bags of expired flour from Egypt, worth ₦1.21 billion, in collaboration with NAFDAC.
He warned that consuming such expired products posed serious health risks, including food poisoning and infections.
Other major seizures included 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa, 120 packs of tramadol 120mg (with two suspects handed over to NDLEA), 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 150 bales of second-hand clothing, 169 bottles of codeine syrup, and five used vehicles.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all seized items stood at ₦1,999,093,429.00.
“These outcomes reaffirm the CGC’s stance that smuggling constitutes economic sabotage, depriving the nation of revenue and endangering public health,” Adenuga emphasized.
He also lauded the Nigerian Navy, particularly the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry, for its consistent collaboration in intercepting contraband from the waterways.
Highlighting stakeholder engagement, Adenuga mentioned that the Command recently organized two major meetings involving security agencies, traditional leaders, and business representatives from Nigeria and Benin Republic.
According to him, these sessions produced “far-reaching resolutions to tackle issues such as multiple checkpoints, extortion, and other trade barriers,” with both sides reaffirming their commitment to smooth border operations along the Seme–Krake corridor.
The Area Controller reiterated that the Command will continue to balance its core responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and national security.
“Under the visionary leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Seme Command remains steadfast in upholding these three pillars,” he stated.
“Our collective goal is to make the Seme–Krake border a gateway of prosperity rather than criminality. Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are building a smarter, safer, and more prosperous border corridor aligned with the CGC’s modernization agenda.”
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