Apapa Command Sets New Benchmark, Rakes in N304bn for October 2025

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has achieved a historic milestone by generating a record-breaking ₦304 billion in revenue for October 2025 — the highest monthly figure ever recorded by any Customs command in the country’s history.

According to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Tunde Ayagbalo, the October figure marks a significant rise from the ₦264 billion collected in the same month last year. This achievement pushes Apapa Command’s total revenue for the first ten months of 2025 to ₦2.4 trillion, surpassing its entire 2024 revenue with two months still left in the year.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the feat as a reflection of the Command’s improved operational efficiency, commitment of officers, and dedication to the NCS’s core mandate of revenue generation and trade facilitation.

> “This latest revenue performance is just the beginning,” Oshoba said. “It proves our readiness to process higher trade volumes, translating to greater returns for the Federal Government.”



He attributed the Command’s success to ongoing trade facilitation reforms, greater compliance among port users, and the deployment of technology-driven customs operations.

Oshoba revealed that the Command is set to introduce a “drive-through scanning” system capable of processing up to 150 containers per hour directly from the quayside. He described the innovation as “revolutionary for West African port operations,” noting that it would drastically reduce clearance time, ease congestion, and boost transparency — key to attracting more investment to Nigeria’s maritime trade.

He added that recently promoted officers had undergone targeted in-house training to improve their technical and leadership skills, in line with the directives of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.

> “Our success so far is commendable, but it’s not our final destination,” Oshoba stated. “We are enhancing the One-Stop-Shop system to streamline processes, curb leakages, and maintain zero tolerance for duty evasion.”



He also warned that officers have been placed on high alert to detect importers who attempt to misuse Harmonised System (HS) Codes to evade duties.

In a bid to enhance trade flow, Oshoba said he has been conducting unscheduled visits to port access roads to engage with truckers, freight forwarders, and licensed customs agents.

> “When cleared consignments are delayed at the port, it slows down new cargo processing and affects revenue performance,” he explained. “We’re working closely with the Nigerian Ports Authority to ensure quick cargo evacuation.”



The Apapa Command, which oversees operations at Nigeria’s busiest seaport and a major commercial gateway, plays a crucial role in the nation’s economic activities through revenue collection, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling enforcement.

Under Oshoba’s leadership, the Command has maintained its dual focus on security and fiscal responsibility, having intercepted 75 contraband items in 15 months and generated ₦3.7 trillion in that period.

The Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, has prioritised automation, stakeholder engagement, and zero tolerance for leakages — a vision the Apapa Command appears fully aligned with.

As Apapa cements its position as Nigeria’s top-performing Customs formation, its ₦304 billion revenue record stands as both a benchmark and a signal that with the right leadership, technology, and collaboration, Nigeria’s maritime sector can become one of the most efficient and profitable in Africa.

> “Our story at Apapa is one of transformation,” Oshoba concluded. “This record is more than just a number — it’s a promise of better things to come.”