The Nigeria Customs Service recorded a total sum of N2,240,880,308,195.77 last year, comfortably exceeding it’s annual 2021 revenue target of N1,678,715,016,014.

The amount generated is 43.45 per cent higher than the sum of N1,562,115,419,216.32 generated in 2020.

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The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col, Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) while commenting on the feat, Credit it to the resolute pursuit of what is right and commendable adaptability to changes brought about by Covid-19.

The Service revenue generation profile has continued to be on the rise annually as the ongoing reforms in the Service insist on:

Other reasons also given for the feat include:

* Automation of the Customs process thereby eliminating vices associated with the manual process.

* Increased disposition of officers and men to put national interest above selves.

He highlighted that the Service efforts to prevent the entry of items that could compromise the security of citizens, the Economy and the well-being of Nigerians resulted in the seizures of 5,096 assorted items with a duty paid value of N13,796,646,685.60 and 160 suspects at different levels of Investigation or Prosecution.

He identified Other landmark achievements of the Service in 2021 as:

*The installation of three brand new Scanners in Apapa, Tin-Can Island and Onne Ports.

*Introduction of mobile tracker: A mobile application that enables individuals to remotely validate any declaration/payment and most importantly the status of any vehicle/cargo at any point.

It can be installed in mobile devices.

*Introduction of Standard Operating Procedure for the use of Scanners.

*Acquisition of rugged, gun trucks to secure anti-smuggling operatives in an increasingly hostile environment, and

“E-customs take-off process now at the stage of the final signing of the agreement.

He expressed his hope that these would expectedly impact positively on trade facilitation, fight smuggling, block revenue leakages and significantly impact on revenue generation and national security.

Ali commended all Officers and Men for their doggedness and charged all to do more in the New Year.

While giving the assurances of the Service’s determination to continuously seek ways of making it easy for stakeholders to comply, the CGC prayed for the repose of the souls of operatives who paid the supreme price in the course of fighting smugglers.

The living, he said, must sustain the fight in honor of the departed.

He called on Nigerians, especially the business community to support the Service as the borders open to African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in order to benefit from the trade agreement and other cross border activities.