.As Dr. Oramalugo Hosts House of Representative Committee on Customs and Excise
ZAINAB JUNAID
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has announced impressive revenue and trade facilitation figures in the first quarter of 2025.
Under the leadership of Comptroller (Dr.)Ben Oramalugo, the Command generated One Billion, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Six Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira and Eighty-Five Kobo (N1, 986,395,565.86k) as revenue.
It also facilitated over 96,000 metric tonnes of goods with a Free On Board value of Twenty Billion, Four hundred and Fifty-Four Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira and Eighty-Seven Kobo (N20, 454,888,432.87k) only, in the first quarter of 2025.
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller (Dr.) Ben Oramalugo disclosed this on Monday while hosting the house of representative committee on Customs and Excise, who were on oversight function visit.
Dr. Oramalugo noted that the remarkable achievement was made possible through improved compliance, risk management, and enforcement.
He equally informed that the Command made significant differences in enforcement activities from January to March, stating several seizures were made from petroleum products, narcotics, foreign rice, poultry, vehicles, foreign parboiled rice among others with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Eight Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Seven Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and Twenty-Four Naira (N855,700,524.00k) only.
While addressing the House Committee led by its chairman, Hon. Leke Abejide, Dr. Oramalugo expressed deep appreciation for the Committee’s presence, describing it as a strong demonstration of their commitment to enhancing Customs administration, trade facilitation, and national revenue optimization.
He highlighted the strategic importance of the Joint Border Post (JBP) along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, which serves as a vital hub for regional trade, and reiterated the Command’s dedication to embracing the JBP initiative, which fosters cooperation with the Republic of Benin, promotes intelligence sharing, and improves customs clearance through the one-stop border post model.
Comptroller Dr. Oramalugo also outlined several operational challenges faced by the Command, including poor infrastructure, shortage of personnel and equipment, lack of power supply for over Seven (7) years in the entire Seme axis, and ocean encroachment.
He called for urgent government intervention, especially in technology deployment, environmental protection, and enforcement of contractual obligations on stalled projects.
Responding, the Chairman of the House Committee on Customs, Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide, reaffirmed the Committee’s resolve to critically assess the operations, revenue performance and capital projects in line with the 2023 and 2024 budgetary approvals.
“We are here to check your books, operations, and ongoing projects to ensure alignment with appropriated funds and to determine areas for retention or removal in the 2025 budget,” Hon. Abejide stated.
He also emphasized the need for the Command to provide data on revenue performance in relation to targets, impact of E-Customs and digital platforms and efforts made in suppressing smuggling and promoting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.
The Committee Chairman further assured that the welfare of Customs officers is of equal priority, encouraging the Command to use the opportunity to present actionable needs for inclusion in the 2025 budget.
The visit concluded with assurance of continued mutual collaboration in strengthening the Nigeria Customs Service as a key driver of economic development, regional integration, and national security.
Also, it is pertinent to note that the committee’s visit is part of the National Assembly’s statutory oversight responsibilities as contained in Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
