N6.21bn Goods Exported Through Apapa Port In Six Months

 Harboursandport.com: Lagos - Goods worth N6.21 billion w($138 million) exported through Apapa port in the first half of the year 2022 compared to N720 million ($1.6 million) during the same period last year, Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, has said.

Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf flanked by other officers of the Command at the briefing in Lagos. 

Yusuf explained that about 2.5 million metric tonnes of the goods were exported during this period compared to 540 metric that left the country through same port last year.

According to the Customs boss, "In line with the Federal government efforts to diversify the economy through non-oil export, the command recorded a boom in the exportation of non-oil commodities with about 2.5 million metric tonnes, above the five hundred and forty thousand (540) metric tonnes in the year 2021. The Free on Board (FOB) value for the exported items also rose from $1.6 million in the year 2021 to $138 million in 2022. Items exported includes steel bars, agricultural and mineral products amongst others.

"The Federal Government policy and export incentive schemes have played vital roles in boosting export trade in Nigeria.

"The Command has consistently strived in its core mandates of revenue generation, prevention and suppression of smuggling, Trade facilitation, implementation of government fiscal policies as well as collaboration and cooperation with other government agencies to ensure ease of doing business in the port.

"In the period under review, the command has collected revenue to the tune of N522.4 billion. This shows a significant increase of N156 billion as against N366.5 billion naira collected in the corresponding months of the year 2021, representing 42.5% increase in revenue collection. 

"This feat was made possible because of our officers' resilience in ensuring identified revenue leakages have been mitigated, while sustaining the level of compliance by the importers/stakeholders in the clearance value chain.

"Our anti-smuggling operation is guided by the Federal Government Import and Export prohibition lists, as well as other government fiscal policies as directed. For the period under review, we have managed to curb the smuggling of dangerous items, resulting in the seizure of 83 containers with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N8.3 billion. Some of the seized items include:

• Processed/Unprocessed wood= 32 containers

• Unregistered pharmaceuticals= 5 containers

• Used clothings/shoes= 18 containers • Foreign parboiled rice= 12 containers

• Vegetable oil= 7 containers

• Tomato Paste= 3 containers, and 1x20ft container laden with 150 cartons of tramadol.

"For the period under review, 21 suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures made.

"A suspect has been arrested in the recent seizure of 1x20ft container of tramadol and he is currently undergoing interrogation/investigation.

"To further strengthen existing relationship between relevant government agencies in the port, the command had recently handed over 2x20ft containers no. SUDU 7774749 and UETU2798479 laden with 150 cartons of illicit hard drugs to the NDLEA.

"Finally, I want to respectfully extend our profound appreciation to the CGC and his Management team for their unrelenting support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, Officers and men of Apapa Command for their tireless commitment, our compliant stakeholders, and the media for their unalloyed support," he noted.