The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it generated a total revenue of ₦1,751,502,252,298.05 in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing its quarterly target of by ₦106.5 billion and achieving 106.47% of its revenue projection.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi discussed this on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at a press conference at the NCS Corporate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

Adeniyi explained that the performance represents a 29.96% increase over the ₦1,347,705,251,658.31 generated in the same period in 2024.

According to him, January saw a revenue collection of ₦647.88 billion, representing an 18.12% increase above its monthly target and a 65.77% year-on-year growth. February brought in ₦540.1 billion, exceeding its target by 1.3% and growing by 19.97% compared to February 2024. In March, the Service collected ₦563.5 billion, 2.7% above target and 11.22% higher than the figure recorded in March 2024.

Adeniyi attributed the sustained revenue growth to effective measures put in place to curb leakages, while also encouraging compliant trade and collaboration among stakeholders.

He disclosed that the Service made 298 seizures in the period under review, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦7,698,557,347.67 — a 78.41% increase over Q4 2024’s ₦4.31 billion, though a 19.70% drop from Q1 2024’s ₦9.58 billion.

He attributed the drop to improved compliance levels resulting from sustained stakeholder engagements and deterrent enforcement measures.

Rice remained the most frequently seized item, with 159 cases involving 135,474 bags worth ₦939.3 million. This was followed by 61 seizures of petroleum products totaling 65,819 liters with a DPV of ₦43.3 million.

The Service also intercepted narcotics worth ₦730.7 million in 22 cases, three high-value seizures of wildlife products worth ₦5.65 billion, and other items such as textile fabrics (₦134.2 million), retreaded tires (₦104.6 million), and pharmaceuticals (₦17.2 million).

Adeniyi highlighted strategic priorities such as intensified border surveillance, intelligence-led operations, deployment of non-intrusive inspection technologies, and collaboration with international organizations like UNODC to tackle illicit wildlife trade.

He revealed that the Service processed 327,928 import declarations (Single Goods Declarations) in Q1 2025, with a total mass of 4.91 billion kilograms and a Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of ₦14.8 trillion — representing increases of 5.28%, 40.14%, and 26.72% respectively compared to Q1 2024.

On exports, 8,153 SGDs were processed — a 6.4% decline from Q4 2024 and a 24.4% drop from Q1 2024. However, export mass surged to 5.03 billion kg, a 348% jump from Q1 2024, and the CIF value stood at ₦21.51 trillion, remaining steady year-on-year.

Adeniyi said this reflects a growing trend of bulk commodity exports processed through fewer transactions and with consistent total value.

The total trade value handled by the Service in the quarter amounted to ₦36.3 trillion, underlining Nigeria’s strong participation in international trade despite global headwinds.

Adeniyi outlined key achievements recorded in the quarter, including the expansion of the B’Odogwu customs clearance platform, which improved efficiency and service delivery.

He also mentioned the launch of the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) Programme on February 14, 2025 — an initiative that incentivizes compliance and enhances predictability in customs processes.

On March 20, 2025, the Service officially launched its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, “Customs Cares”, at Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. The program benefited 2,000 students and 1,000 community members through educational supplies, security infrastructure, and a medical outreach.

Furthermore, the Service supported government efforts to tackle food insecurity by granting duty exemptions on essential food imports such as maize, rice, and sorghum. These waivers contributed to an overall reduction in food prices by 12-18%.

Adeniyi concluded that the Customs Service remains committed to reforms that enhance transparency, efficiency, and national development, adding that the successes recorded in Q1 2025 serve as a springboard for future achievements