SEME CUSTOMS HITS N9.8B REVENUE, SEIZES DRUGS , RICE, OTHERS IN 3 MONTHS
Seme Customs Hits ₦9.8B Revenue, Seizes Drugs, Rice, Others in 3 Months
By Babatunde Aremu
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded ₦9.8 billion in revenue between March and May 2026, marking a 448% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, disclosed this on Monday during a media briefing at the Command Headquarters in Seme. He said the Command generated ₦9,798,938,969 from March 2026 to date, up from ₦2,188,405,749 collected in the corresponding period last year.
Kaila attributed the growth to strengthened compliance mechanisms, improved stakeholder cooperation, anti-revenue leakage measures, and the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System. He added that the dedication of officers and enhanced operational efficiency also contributed to the performance.
“As one of Nigeria’s busiest land borders, Seme plays a critical role in ECOWAS and AfCFTA trade integration,” Kaila said. He noted that the Command had intensified engagement with licensed agents, freight forwarders, transport unions, importers, exporters, and sister agencies to ease clearance procedures and boost compliance awareness.
On anti-smuggling, the CAC said the Command intercepted large quantities of prohibited and restricted items along the Seme-Badagry corridor in the last three months. Seizures include:
– *1,000 parcels of Cannabis Sativa*, to be handed over to the NDLEA for prosecution.
– *Unregistered pharmaceutical products*, including codeine-based syrups and sildenafil citrate drugs without NAFDAC certification, to be handed over to NAFDAC.
– *2,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice*, *340 kegs of foreign vegetable oil*, *103 kegs of PMS*, *993 cartons of foreign spaghetti*, and *250 bales of used clothing*.
The Duty Paid Value of all seized items is ₦501,845,772.
“These seizures underscore our zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and reaffirm our determination to protect the nation’s economy, support local industries, and safeguard public health and security,” Kaila stated.
He warned that Seme would not serve as a safe haven for illicit trade, adding that the Command had strengthened its intelligence network and collaboration with other security agencies.
He urged compliant traders to use the Command’s trade facilitation platforms and dispute-resolution mechanisms, saying compliance remains the fastest and most cost-effective way to conduct international trade.
Kaila commended officers and men of the Command for their discipline and resilience, and thanked stakeholders and host communities for their support. He said the Command remains committed to balancing revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security in line with the reform agenda of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR.
The briefing concluded with appreciation to the media for promoting transparency and public awareness of Customs operations.
