By Stella Okocha Harboursandportcom:Lagos-Nigeria: February 19,2026: The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Area Controller of Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, declared that the command raked in ₦145 billion in the month of January, a significant rise from ₦116 billion in the same month last year, reflecting an increase of ₦29.9 billion.
Speaking during an exclusive engagement with maritime journalists, on Tuesday 17, February 2026, Onyeka said the Command generated ₦609 billion in 2025, adding that figures from January indicate strong momentum.
Setting the mode of operations for 2026, the Controller declared that the command is about to experience a shift in Customs’ operations. He noted that the meeting marked the first step in a deliberate stakeholder-sensitisation drive ahead of the Service’s second-quarter rollout of the digital regime.
Onyeka revealed that the TinCan Island Port Command wants to do things differently; as they want to be known as "trade enablers,” under the paperless regime.
“When I resumed here, you supported me through constructive reportage. I am here again to seek your continued collaboration to ensure the success of the paperless regime. The Service aims to release containers with zero physical contact between officers and clearing agents, is a move expected to drastically reduce delays, human interference, and bottlenecks", Onyeka said.
He acknowledged the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as the driving force behind the ambitious reforms. He signalled a new era at one of Nigeria’s busiest gateways, declaring that he is fully prepared to champion the Nigeria Customs Service’s historic shift to a 100% paperless operation.
Onyeka declared with confidence,“I want to be known as a trade facilitator personified,” he acknowledged the possibility of occasional network interruptions, while assuring the press that the command’s officers are not only prepared but deeply committed, describing them as “serious and proactive,” insisting that efficiency would not be compromised.
Speaking on the fears that the new system might be manipulated, Onyeka reaffirmed that the Service now operates with globally compliant processes and a new generation of properly trained officers.
While dismissing indications that the transition might create cargo congestion, he insisted that the digital shift would instead fast-track clearance processes and reduce port dwell time.
He expressed strong confidence in the indigenous digital platform, B’Odogwu, which will anchor the transformation, saying it is designed to support transparency and accountability.
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