With Covid-19 pandemic disrupting economic activities globally, especially having severe impact on supply chains, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seems to have surmounted the challenges and is on track to declare a target smashing revenue for 2021.
Already, the Customs has pulled into its kitty and, subsequently, federal government coffers, N2.3 trillion revenue even before the year winds down completely. The amount is over N800 billion higher than the N1.5 trillion it posted in 2020, and higher than the N1.679 trillion target set for this year.
Timi Bomodi, the deputy national public relations officer, NCS, made the disclosure at a stakeholders and media engagement on trade facilitation held in Lagos.
Bomodi, who spoke on the topic: “Trade facilitation, a tool for enhanced revenue generation: The NCS perspective,” said the figure is a major milestone for the agency as it exceeded the 2021 target of N1.679 trillion, notwithstanding the debilitating effect of COVID-19, which has had negative effects on the socio-economic lives of people around the globe.
The deputy PRO further disclosed that the NCS had integrated and automated over 90 percent of its activities to enhance trade facilitation and ward off illegal trade activities.
“We hope in 2022, importers, exporters and their agents will comply willingly and take full advantage of the opportunities NCS offers for expedited clearance,” he stated.
Bomodi also pointed out that the e-customs project set to commence in 2022 would provide end-to-end automation aimed at eliminating physical contact.
Speaking on the relevance of trade facilitation, Malanta Yusuf, comptroller of the Apapa Command, explained that trade facilitation cannot be harnessed and enjoyed without ensuring the compliance level of traders.
According to Yusuf, trade facilitation had to do with harmonisation, standardisation, modernisation and automation of trade procedures in the supply chain by deploying minimal resources in order to get great output.
The comptroller noted that the NCS has deployed tools to ensure that trade was being facilitated for people to carry out their goods on time without accumulating demurrage, and deployed scanners to ensure the use of selectivity in inspection of containers.
He added that in complying, traders must declare the actual cargo carried, the duty, quantity and value of the cargo.
“The NCS is looking forward to a work environment where respect for principles and practice of international trade are the watchwords,” he remarked.