Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed revenue generation of over N2.965 Trillion between January 2016, and June 2021.

 

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Musa Baba Abdullahi, disclosed the figure in a review of its activities during a working tour by Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission Committee led by Barrister Umaru Farouk Abdullahi and other ten Commissions to Lagos Ports as part of their oversight function.

 

 

“The Command is aware of the objective of the visit and is to enable members receive briefing on the activities of the Service in our areas of operations with a view to gaining more understanding of the lastest project upgrade NICIS II amongst others as well as the impact of NICIS II components on revenue accruals.

 

 

 

“Our activities align significantly with the core functions of the Service; of revenue collection and accounting for same, facilitation of legitimate trade, protection of the society against smuggling and illicit and generation of trade statistics.” said the Controller.

 

 

 

CAC Abdullahi, restated that in the area of revenue generation, the Command drawing from the powers vested on the Service as provided in the relevant section of CEMA and a further clarification in line with import guideline and documentation requirement of the federal ministry of finance 2014 and using the availability of the the NICIS II software, adding that so far in year 2021 collected 229.32billion which is 50B above 2020 collection using the Nigeria integrated Customs information system (NICIS) platform for the same period.

 

 

 

Following the deployment of the NICIS I software and the subsequent upgrade to NICIS II in Year 2018. Our Revenue collection has been on the rise with accumulative Revenue improvement (100B) 35.22% from 2018-2020.

 

 

 

In the area of trade facilitation, the command has implemented various recommendation of the WCO and WTO aimed at facilitating trade, and various trade facilitation initiatives created are: fast track facilities for compliant traders, dispute resolution committee, help desk, post clearance audit unit, one stop shop.

 

 

 

Abdullahi, made it known that the Command intercepted a large quantity of Arms and Ammunition based on intelligence reports and on the areas of Protection of the society against smuggling, Illicit drug trafficking and counterfeit goods, the command also made various seizures of prohibited goods, such as Rice, Used Clothing, Fake Drugs.

 

 

 

 

The Comptroller told  the Committee, that Tin-Can Island Ports Command had made various seizures of prohibited goods, such as Rice, Used Clothing, Fake Drugs. And the command recently collaborated with NDLEA and seized 36.25kg oh cocaine and detained the carrying Vessel and it’s crew, Cannabis Sativa concealed in container of used vehicles, pirated Printed Book and Light Arms.

 

 

 

As part of the modernization effort of the Nigeria customs Services, the service in 1998 went the way of automation by implementing the ASYCUDA 27 and in 2006 migrated to ASYCUDA + + Version 3.0 which had additional functionally. In the cause of implementing the project there were obvious gaps and need for further migration which led to deployment of NICIS I and then subsequent upgrade to NICIS II in 2008.

 

 

The NICIS II arrived at additional functionalities that resulted in the improved Revenue Collection for year 2017 – 287.638 year 2020 385.76 improvement by 1000B Simplification and harmonization of the cargo clearance procedure with innovation such as E-submission of manifest by Shipping Company, E-Submission of SGDs by the Agent/importer in the comfort of their offices, Assessment of Cargo, E-Payment through the Dealer Bank, E-Release of Cargo by Terminal Operators, E-Remittance to Central Bank of Nigeria, Integration with the Scanning Site for Cargo inspection, E-exit of Cargo.

 

 

 

Abdullahi, added that Tin-Can Island Ports Command has long realized that as a Service Provider, the only way to remain relevant to our stakeholders is to embrace changes in technology, the economy and meeting their needs with innovation.

 

 

 

“Accordingly, we have continue to put in concerted effort in ensuring excellent working relationship with our stakeholder through regular engagements, meetings and follow-up especially stakeholders like Clearing Agents, MAN, LCCI, Barge Operators, Shipping Companies, Terminal Operators and other Regulatory Agencies – Police, DSS, NAFDAC, SON.”

 

 

 

“Facilitation of Trade is normally based on the tripod of procedures, Infrastructure and Logistics. Generally, the procedures have been standardized but there operational gap due to infrastructure and Logistic decay”

 

 

 

He further stated that, “It is on record that Tin-Can Island Ports Command has achieved 3hours Cargo Clearance time but Cargo Delivery out of the Port becomes an issue due to Poor Port Access Road, Lack of Government Warehouse Facility, Lack of Cargo Handling Equipment, Non-conducive Working Environment, Lax Security, Very Old Vehicles, and Inability of the authorities to explore the use of lagoon water for movement of cargo using Barge.”

 

 

“Beyond this, I wish to inform the honourable Commission that the command has had the singular honour of being a ‘3’ time award winner of the prestigious World Customs Organization Award 2018, 2019 and 2020 for rendering excellent Service to the International Customs Community”

 

 

“We have continued to ensure that we raise standards of our operations to meet Global Best Practices”

 

 

 

“We have also developed operational templates by way of Standard Procedures (SOP) which has further entrenched Transparency and compliance resulting into huge gains in areas of Revenue Generation and Facilitation of Legitimate Trade.”

 

 

 

He concluded that the vision and mission of the Service remains to make Tin-Can Command a hub devoid of unnecessary bureaucracies in the Trade Value Chain to enable stakeholders benefit from our trade facilitation.