Customs collects over N50billion in 2024 at Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command has raised the bar to an unprecedented height with the collection of Fifty billion, Eight hundred and forty-seven million, Six hundred and twenty-five thousand, five hundred and ninety-seven thousand and eight kobo only (N50,847,625,597.08)

in 2024.

In a statement issued to journalists, Comptroller Comfort Ukpanah, Customs Area Controller of the Command revealed that “This figure represents over 50% increase in Revenue collection when compared to that of the preceding year 2023 with the collection of 27,954,707,493.00 (Twenty-seven billion, nine hundred and fifty-four million, seven hundred and seven thousand, four hundred and ninety-three naira only, a feat ever achieved, since the inception of the Command”.

According to her, “This outstanding breakthrough was achieved through our deliberate and concerted efforts at alignment with the three (3) policy guidelines of the comptroller General of customs viz: Consultation, Innovation and Consolidation.

“In this regard, the Command worked assiduously to create an all-inclusive methodology in our modus operandi with our stakeholders. Consequently, the Command leveraged on that to galvanize and earn the trust of our esteemed stakeholders in adhering very strictly to the extant guidelines in terms of trade.

“Additionally, the Command developed a template for monitoring compliance by the stakeholders as well as with the commitment levels of our officers/men to ensure that all verified operational gaps are blocked. This procedure was also applied to our excise factories and parcel post functions. the command, through intelligence sharing and collaboration was able to identify excise factories that use hitherto not brought under excise control.

The Command ensured a round the clock (24hrs) surveillance on activities of such factories, in addition to the existing ones, to ensure that appropriate excise duties were collected. The Command clearly understands the risk in not paying attention to parcel posts; hence the rejigged effort.

“Generally speaking, the period under review had its fair share of challenges occasioned by the global economic recession. However, the resilience and deep commitment of our officers/men enabled us to ensure that identified areas of Revenue leakages were blocked with a view to collecting all collectible Revenue” the CAC stressed.