Seme Customs Records 182% Revenue Surge, Seizes ₦1.99bn Worth of Contraband in One Month
Kathy Kyari
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a remarkable 182 percent increase in revenue and seized contraband goods worth nearly ₦2 billion within just one month, under the leadership of its new Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga.
Addressing journalists at the maiden press briefing of the Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga said the achievement reflects the renewed drive of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to entrench transparency, innovation, and collaboration across the Service.
He said the Command generated ₦1,500,029,233.88 in September 2025 — up from ₦531,462,332.45 in August — representing an exceptional increase of over 182 percent. “This outstanding performance reflects the effectiveness of the CGC’s reform agenda built on compliance, transparency, and data-driven monitoring of goods,” he added.
Adenuga reaffirmed his commitment to the CGC’s strategic vision anchored on Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation, noting that “Trade Facilitation is the hallmark of our administration. We believe that when trade is facilitated, processes are streamlined, costs are reduced and more revenue is generated.”
He explained that the Seme Area Command had intensified efforts to simplify procedures, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and ensure legitimate traders enjoy the benefits of Customs modernization and regional integration along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.
In furtherance of the Federal Government’s diversification drive, Adenuga disclosed that the Command facilitated the export of 53,989.46 metric tonnes of goods valued at ₦7,969,376,198.78, with a Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fee of ₦39,868,354.42.
“These exports, comprising agricultural produce and manufactured goods, demonstrate the renewed confidence of exporters in the Seme Command as a viable trade hub under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS),” he said.
On anti-smuggling efforts, the Comptroller revealed that the Command made several high-profile seizures, including five trucks conveying 10,000 bags of expired flour from Egypt worth ₦1.21 billion, intercepted in a joint operation with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
“The health risks associated with consuming such expired products could have led to severe infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications,” he warned.
Other notable seizures include 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa, 120 packs of tramadol 120mg (with two suspects handed over to NDLEA), 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 150 bales of second-hand clothing, 169 bottles of codeine syrup, and five used vehicles.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) for all seizures stood at ₦1,999,093,429.00. “These results underscore the CGC’s operational philosophy that smuggling is an economic sabotage that robs the nation of vital revenue and endangers public welfare,” Adenuga emphasized.
He commended the Nigerian Navy for its partnership, particularly the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry, for consistently handing over intercepted rice and other contraband from the waterways.
Highlighting the importance of collaboration, Adenuga noted that the Command recently held two major stakeholders’ engagements involving security agencies, traditional rulers, and business representatives from both Nigeria and Benin Republic.
He said the meetings produced “far-reaching resolutions to address multiple checkpoints, extortion, and other trade impediments,” while both sides reaffirmed their commitment to seamless border operations along the Seme–Krake corridor.
The CAC assured that the Command would continue to balance revenue generation, trade facilitation, and national security.
“Under the visionary leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Seme Area Command remains resolute in balancing the triad of Revenue Generation, Trade Facilitation, and National Security,” he stated.
“Our collective mission is to ensure that the Seme-Krake border remains a gateway of prosperity, not criminality. Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are building a smarter, safer, and more prosperous border corridor in full alignment with the CGC’s modernization blueprint.”
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