By BON PETERS, Port Harcourt

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Area 1 Command, Port Harcourt, says it collected the sum of over N200 Billion last year 2024 even as the Command has promised to re double efforts in 2025 for more revenue generation noting that the feat marked a significant achievement in its revenue collection efforts for 2024, with a remarkable total sum of ?200,585,362,796.

This disclosure was contained in a press release made available to our correspondent Friday, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs, Oscar Ivara, in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital.

The statement went further to posit that the amount represented a substantial increase when compared to the total revenue collected in 2023 which stood at N116,289,470,576.

The statement quoted the Customs Area Controller, Area 1 Command, Comptroller Mustapha Hashim, as saying that “the command’s total revenue collection for 2024 indicates an impressive surplus of N84,295,872,220 when compared to the revenue collected in 2023, representing a growth of 72.41%.”

According to him, this achievement was a testament to the hard work, dedication, and operational improvements within the command, which he insisted have helped increase revenue while improving compliance with customs regulations.

He noted that the command’s strategic focus on enforcement operations and ensuring compliance with customs regulations have significantly contributed to the increase in revenue even as he applauded the improved monitoring systems, increased patrols, and enhanced collaboration with other enforcement agencies which he emphasized have played a critical role in curbing smuggling activities and improving revenue.

Continuing, Comptroller Hashim gave a breakdown of the 2024 revenue figures of the command to include ?184,221,730,121.48 Billion in the first quarter of 2024, with an estimated monthly collection of ?15, 351,810,843.46 billion which he said, was later reviewed upwards to ?230,277,162,651.82 Billion, with monthly expected collection of ?19,189,763,554.32 Billion in the 2nd to 4th quarters of the year respectively

The statement however reported an annual revenue target, shortfall collection of about 13.04% which was largely attributed to the Federal Government’s food import waiver policy, introduced in July 2024, to mitigate Nigeria’s worsening food crisis.

The statement continued ”the Presidential directive, which ended on 31 December 2024, gave waivers to essential food items such as wheat, maize, and grain, which are the major goods imported through the Command.”

In the area of Export activities, Compt Hashim posited that the Command made notable strides in boosting revenue from agricultural products, which he referred to as a key indicator to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

His words: "this focus has increased export facilitation and boosted the Command’s contribution to National Revenue”

He added that the total quantity of cargoes exported in the year 2024 was 17,352,817 metric tons with FOB value in dollars which stood at $1,452,393,438.00, while the NESS paid in Naira was N2,900,883,557 for both Oil and Non-Oil Export.

The statement also disclosed that a total of 289 ships called at the Area Command in 2024, with import tonnage comprised of bulk cargoes such as wheat, frozen fish, salt, oil well equipment, PMS, AGO, Gypsum, bitumen and general cargoes which amounted to 4,080,654.198 metric tons and the duties collected from the bulk cargoes and excise factory contributed to the huge revenue collected in the Command.

However, Compt. Hashim used the opportunity to thank Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) BA Adeniyi MFR and his management team for their support and encouragement even as he equally thanked the Zonal Coordinator, Customs Zone C, Port Harcourt, (ACG) SK Dangaladima for a harmonious working relationship.

He also appreciated all the relevant stakeholders operating in the Port, and reiterated that “these feat couldn’t have been achieved without painstakingly advocating for full compliance of all Customs regulations, by ensuring maximum collection of Customs duties, levies and payment of all unpaid assessment.

He added that with the Command’s focused approach, dedication and continued support from partners and stakeholders, the revenue generation, anti-smuggling and trade facilitation drive for 2025 will be effective, promising that the Command would deploy all necessary tools to ensure seamless clearance operations this year.