The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it intercepted $2.2 million in undeclared cash across major airports between January and July 2025.

The Comptroller General of NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, revealed this during his presentation at the just-concluded quarterly stakeholders’ engagement on presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables in Abuja.

The engagement had the theme: “Leveraging Public Feedback to Drive Excellence in Aviation Services.”

The CG, who was represented by Comptroller Haniel Hadison, said the Service, for instance, intercepted $193,000 concealed in a carton of yoghurt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on March 20, 2025, another $1,154,900 and SR135,900 in Saudi Riyals were collected at the Kano airport from a passenger arriving from Saudi Arabia, and $578,000 in falsely declared cash was intercepted from an inbound passenger arriving from South Africa at Lagos Airport.

At Kano airport, foreign currencies worth N653.99 million were intercepted.

He mentioned that their enforcement of currency declaration laws and end-user certificate requirements has strengthened border security.

He said through their collaboration with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), they seized drones, arms and endangered wildlife products, thereby disrupting criminal networks and reinforcing national integrity.

On revenue generation, he disclosed that of the N3.7 trillion generated by NCS in the first half of the year, Lagos Airport Area Command contributed N97.16 billion, representing a 20.92% increase from the previous year.

The Comptroller further added that NCS also seized contraband worth over N1.2 billion, including foreign rice, used vehicles and unregistered pharmaceuticals, saying every seizure is a testament to vigilance, teamwork and the unwavering commitment of our officers to protect Nigeria’s aviation corridors.

He mentioned that the advanced scanners, like the Orion 928DX, have enabled them to detect threats faster, reducing physical checks and enhancing passenger experience, even as the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) pilot reduced cargo clearance time from about 168 hours to 43 hours.

Looking ahead, he said the NCS will deepen its collaboration with aviation stakeholders to streamline inspections, enhance security and facilitate trade. (The Guardian)

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