Customs Intercepts $2.2m Undeclared Cash at Airports in Seven Months

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the interception of $2.2 million in undeclared foreign currency across major airports between January and July 2025.

Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during the quarterly stakeholders’ engagement on presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables held in Abuja. He was represented at the event by Comptroller Haniel Hadison.

Themed “Leveraging Public Feedback to Drive Excellence in Aviation Services,” the engagement highlighted major achievements in airport security and revenue protection.

Adeniyi revealed that among the seizures was $193,000 concealed in a carton of yoghurt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on March 20, 2025. At Kano Airport, officers recovered $1,154,900 and SR135,900 from a passenger arriving from Saudi Arabia, while $578,000 in falsely declared cash was intercepted from an inbound passenger from South Africa at the Lagos Airport.

He added that foreign currencies worth ₦653.99 million were seized at Kano Airport alone.

The Customs boss said enforcement of currency declaration laws and End-User Certificate regulations has strengthened national border security. He also noted that collaboration with FAAN, NDLEA and NCAA led to the interception of drones, arms and endangered wildlife products, disrupting illegal trade networks.

On revenue performance, the NCS generated ₦3.7 trillion within the first half of 2025, with the Lagos Airport Area Command contributing ₦97.16 billion, marking a 20.92% increase compared to the previous year.

Adeniyi further disclosed that contraband valued at over ₦1.2 billion, including foreign rice, used vehicles and unregistered pharmaceuticals, was confiscated during the period.

He credited advanced scanning technology such as the Orion 928DX for improved threat detection and reduced physical checks, while the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) pilot scheme has cut cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 43 hours.

Looking ahead, NCS plans to deepen collaboration with aviation agencies to enhance security, streamline inspections and boost trade efficiency.