TINCAN COMMAND OF THE NIGERIA CUSTOMS RECORDS 27.50% INCREASE IN REVENUE .
**Experiences an increase in export activities in the first half of the fiscal year 2022
By Mcanthony Onuoha
Tincan Command of the Nigeria Customs has between January 1st – 31st June 2022, recorded 27.50% increase from last year’s collection as it raked in the sum of N274,320,715,179.22 in revenue against the sum of N229,321,865,091.16 collected within same period in 2021.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede, during a press briefing at the Command on Friday, 22nd of July 2022, attributed the increase in revenue generation within the period under review to the newly introduced Customs VIN- valuation which he said “has helped the Command to achieve an expedited clearance process due to predictability of Value-assessment, increase in revenue generation,improved ease of doing business, generation of accurate statistics for federal Government and a host of others”.
Oloyede further disclosed the challenges faced by the Command at the early stages of implementation of VIN -valuation Service, in his words, ” At the Command level, we faced challenges at the early stages of deployment due to the degree of understanding of the process most especially on the part of stakeholders, nevertheless, we have been able to overcome them as we put into force Article 2 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement through continuous engagement and consultation with the relevant stakeholders which led to update and upgrade of the service to address some of these challenges. We have also strengthened the risk management structure to mitigate the consistent attempts by some Non- compliant agents to abuse the process through acts of commercial fraud such as falsification of documents and forgery of signatures”.
Apart from the huge seizures recorded weeks after his assumption of office, The CAC yet again recorded another seizures which include 3,303 pieces of motor batteries found in three(3) containers falsely declared as three(3) units of used Toyota Hiace buses, four(4) units of used Mack truck heads. One unit of Toyota Sequoia 2008 model, one unit of used Mercedes Benz GL450 2008 model and one unit of used 2011 Toyota 4Runner. However, one(1) suspect, (1)arm pistol gun , two(2)empty magazines and 300 rounds of live ammunition were said to had been handed over to the DSS for further action while the import of the seizures and items detained.
According to Comptroller Oloyede, the Sections 46,47&161 of the Customs & Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45 LFN 2004 were contravened by the illegal importation. The Duty Paid Value of the total seizures made so far by the Command amounts to N1,301,901,685.12. He profoundly acknowledged the critical roles played by the Customs Intelligence Unit, the Valuation Unit, Customs Strike Force, FOU as well as interventions by sister regulatory agencies such as NDLEA, NAFDAC, DSS, SON, the Nigeria Police and others in making those seizures and detentions.
However, Tincan Island Command said it has so far experienced an increase in export activities in the first half of the fiscal year 2022. According to the CAC, the Command recorded an outward throughput in export cargo of 138, 246 50 metric tons representing an increase by 75% from 100,50 metric tons recorded in 2021, with an F.O.B value of N100,447,304,814,00. This represents an increase of 60% from N66,294,630,421.00 recorded in the fiscal year 2022. He commended the Management of the Nigeria Ports Authority for their seamless collaboration with the Command in facilitating the clearance process of export- related cargo at Tincan Island Port Command.
In the area of Trade Facilitation and Engagement, Oloyede promised that the command would continue to provide a conducive environment for trade through continuous engagement and collaboration with relevant stakeholders and regulatory agencies of Government adding that the dispute settlement structure of the Command aligns with the provisions of the import duty mechanism outlined in paragraph (H) subparagraph (8) of the lmport Guidelines, Procedure and Documentation Requirements which allows an importer to take delivery of his cargo in the case of persistent dispute after securing a bank bond, the total duties and taxes payable on the item being disputed.
Comptroller Oloyede expressed the Command’s appreciation for the support and clear sense of direction being provided by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ibrahim Hameed Ali(rtd.) as well as the Management of the Nigeria Customs Service for their relentless efforts towards strengthening the capacity of the Service to its statutory responsibility in line with international best practices. He also appreciated the contribution of his management team as well as officers and men of the Command and thereby urged them to continue to support his administration as it strives to achieve greater heights.
Finally, the CAC, on behalf of the Command, promised to continue to put in more effort towards better performance while expressing optimism that with the e-Customs agenda of the Service and the recent deployment of non- intrusive technology such as scanners, they would be able to achieve more in their core responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement of Government’s fiscal policies.
