On Wednesday, August 7th, 2024, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, held a press briefing to highlight the command’s remarkable performance and steady development in all areas of operations since he assumed office three months ago.
Comptroller Olomu reported that the Apapa Area Command generated a record-breaking revenue of N201,853,406,964.61 in July 2024, the highest monthly collection in the command’s history. He expressed optimism about the possibility of surpassing this figure in the months to come.
Furthermore, the Comptroller stated that in the first seven months of 2024 (January to July), the Apapa Area Command had generated a total of N1,227,431,323,016.24, which is higher than the total revenue collected by the command in the entire year of 2023, which stood at N1,172,414,793,960.32.
Olomu attributed this outstanding performance to the full implementation of the Comptroller General of Customs’ (CGC) thrust of time-release study, which has facilitated trade without delay. He also highlighted the significant contributions of the Tariff and Trade Department, Compliance Desk, Dispute Resolution Team, Valuation, Post-Clearance Audit (PCA), and Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) in promoting seamless trade.
The Comptroller emphasized that the Apapa Command handles the highest volume of trade for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and collects the highest revenue, making it subject to higher expectations from the management of the service and the government. He expressed gratitude for the support of sister government agencies and the cooperation of compliant port users.
Olomu advised port users to embrace only legitimate trade and assured them of the command’s commitment to detecting all forms of concealment and plugging any avenue for revenue leakage to the barest minimum.
In conclusion, Comptroller Olomu commended the directives and motivating examples of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, dsm, psc (+), and the command’s dedication to exceeding expectations and upholding the highest standards of operations.