Tincan Customs Projects N1.13trn Revenue in 2024, Generates N716. 53bn in 2023

... Declares 2024 the year of Stakeholders

Kathy Kyari

The Tincan Island Port Command has been given a revenue target of N1.13 trillion by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the year 2024.

At a news conference on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 in Lagos, the Area Controller of Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, revealed this to journalist.

“The target allocated to Tincan Island Port command out of the national target is 27 per cent.

“Last year 2023, our revenue target was N801.5 billion out of which we were able to collect N716.5 billion which represents 89 per cent of our target.

“However, in 2024, due to our hard work, following our beautiful performance in 2023, the Controller General of Customs (CGC) and its management, allocated a revenue target of N1.13 trillion .

“This translates to monthly target of N94.23 billion, which translates N21.7 billion every week and that means on daily basis officers and men of the command with the support of stakeholders are supposedly to collect N4.23 billion every day,” he said.

According to Nnadi, the command's devoted officers and troops could accomplish the goal.

He stated that although the command's weekly target for 2023 was N66 billion, they managed to average N76 billion from June to December, indicating that the 2024 aim may be achieved.

On the other hand, Nnadi exhorted and encouraged stakeholders to not be afraid of the 2024 target.

The command had planned with senior commanders who would cascade the decision made to their officers and men, according to the comptroller, on how to do this.

“This year 2024 in the command has been declared as the year of stakeholders. We believe that they are going to reciprocate kind gesture for us by declaring the appropriate duty, correct declaration and be compliant.

“Others is that the service had directed that every command must engage with what the CGC call environmental scan by studying the environment and optimising opportunities inherent .

“They are going to attach themselves to policy landscape the ministry of finance will offer, engagement stakeholders and to that effect, engage the national trade facilitation committee to conduct a time release study in Tincan in the month of February,” Nnadi said.

He stated that they were required to embrace advancements in technology in the modernization of customs in order to maximize their operational readiness.

“Similarly, the CGC has directed that technical capacity of every officer will be enhanced, and he will improve the welfare of customs officers.

“If that is the case, we have been given the motivation to ensure that the revenue target will be collected,” the comptroller said.

Nnadi, who characterized Nigeria's economy as one that generates imports, pointed out that the service will complement trade facilitation with revenue and collection.

In order to prevent demureage, he continued, they would devise plans to guarantee prompt clearance of products at the ports.

“In 2023, the command was able to handle 623694.7 metric tonnes of export.

“This is very significant in the sense that it is 85 per cent increase in tonnage of what we did in 2022,” he said.

“Here at Tincan, we encourage them to be Duty compliant while considering the exchange rate, we cannot shy away from the reality of the exchange rate which affects everything, that’s why we encourage people to go into export.”

For the more than N38.91 billion Naira reported as DPV for seizures, Nnadi praised the Enforcement Unit.He praised his officers' dedication.

The CGC he revealed demonstrated that in 2023, letters of recommendation were given to officers found to be exceptional in their line of duty; some of these officers received special recognition and were promoted ahead of their squad mates in the most recent promotion exercise. The NCS has implemented a reward system for officers who excel in their various tasks.

"Revenue Target last year was N801b and this year 2024, N1,130,768.51.831.31trillionN21,666.

Breaking the revenue figure down, it comes down to N21.666b on a weekly basis, 4,332,444.b everyday".

According to him, the N1.1trn target is equivalent to 27% of the National Target. The Controller disclosed that the National Trade regulatory agency will be contacted by his leadership to conduct a time-release research on Tincan Island Customs port Command.

“It’s very significant to recognize that no bird flies with one wing. That is why the NCS has recognised the importance of the freight Forwarders and traders who do it right. In Tincan we want to do it differently by doing 24 hrs Operation".

"In the past we used to blame the stakeholders for every infraction but it takes two to tangle and we shall hold any Officer who releases any cargo with infraction. We have mapped out strategy to ensure that unnecessary demurrage is not incurred by importers due to the fault of the Customs".

"Whatever we achieved last year was a joint effort with all stakeholders and we want everyone to join hands with Customs to meet this new target, it is achievable, if we all join hands, the CGC, wale Adeniyi and his management team has looked at our performance last year and in their wisdom allotted this revenue target to Tincan Command, let us all work towards it, it’s achievable.” Nnadi maintained.

He expressed gratitude to the CGC for his support, which has increased the officers' and men's faith in the Service even further.