The Tincan Island Port (TICP) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has edged up revenue collections by a whopping 221% for the first half of the year, netting N575.5 bilion into the Federal Government coffers between January 1 and June 30, 2024.
The current revenue figure is an increase of N315.24 billion from the sum of N260.25 billion revenue generated in the corresponding period of 2023 marking a 221.13% increase.
Also, exports processed at TICP within the period was 489,594.50 metric tons (MT) leaving an increase of 198,158MT over 291,436MT of cargo exported from the port. This represents 68% rise in export cargoes processed from the port from January to June this year.
Briefing journalists at the headquarters of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Apapa Lagos, where he gave the Command’s half-year report today, Customs Area Controller, TICP, Comptroller Dera Nnadi said the revenue generation report aligned with the statutory functions of the Service in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities.
He said: “TCIP achieved a revenue collection of N575.5 billion. This is an improvement by =N=315.24 billion and a 221.13% increase from the 2023 first half revenue collection of N260.25 billion.
“In the area of In the area of export, the total value of commercial goods exported through Tincan Island Ports in the first half of 2024 is N1, 032 billion and a total volume of 489,594.50MT as against export value of first half 2023 of N182.33 billion with a total volume of 291,436MT
In the area of seizure and anti-smuggling, Nnadi disclosed that the command’s enforcement and anti-smuggling unit has not been relenting in its efforts to combat smuggling and all forms of criminality.
“Customs, being the lead agency at the Ports through its enforcement unit has coordinated several 100% physical examination under my supervision in collaboration with critical stakeholders to ensure that the command is freed of any form of non-compliance to the international trade cycle”
Some of the items seized include three plastic drums concealing several packets of Cannabis Indica, forty-six bags containing two thousand one hundred and forty-four packets of Cannabis Indica all weighing one thousand and seventy-two kilogrammes (1,072kg) imported from Canada. The approximate street value of the illicit substances is N3.2 billion.
