Bashir Adewale Adeniyi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has posted a record ₦1.3 trillion revenue in Q1 2025, a historic leap from ₦600 billion in the same period two years ago flowing from President Bola Tinubu’s bold economic reforms
This landmark achievement, according to Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is not the result of increased imports—which have actually declined due to forex constraints—but – systems overhaul powered by Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
At the heart of this transformation is the E-Customs Modernisation Project—a $3.2 billion investment set to digitise Nigeria’s ports and borders. From cargo processing to surveillance and payments, the project will automate customs operations, positioning Nigeria as a regional leader in trade facilitation. Adeniyi projects this initiative will generate $250 billion in revenue over 20 years.
But the gains are already visible. Clearance timelines at Apapa and Tin Can ports have been slashed from 21 days to as low as 7 days, and new joint border patrols with the Army, DSS, and Police have dismantled smuggling rings and plugged longstanding revenue leaks. In nine months, the service recovered ₦64 billion from undervalued imports.
With the soon-to-be-launched Single Window system, importers will interact with all 15 regulatory agencies online, cutting red tape and eliminating manual bottlenecks. For exporters, fast-track lanes and collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council have boosted non-oil exports, with solid minerals and agro commodities hitting over ₦340 billion in 2024—a 38% growth.
“This is not just about Customs—it’s about transforming the way Nigeria trades with the world,” Adeniyi declared.