CG Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR

The Nigeria Customs Service has given an insight on how it ensures the smooth flow of the country’s export goods across borders, especially non-oil products, saying that the service does not collect export duty except in peculiar circumstances where imported goods are being re-exported.

Customs Area Controller, Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, who spoke with newsmen in Lagos, noted that the service is focused on achieving its critical role in facilitating export trade, adding that the NCS stands at the forefront of Nigeria’s efforts to boost its export economy.

Describing the Command as a one-stop shop for export business, he noted that the service has introduced special procedures in facilitating export trade, stating that the current government policy in Nigeria requires zero duty payment for export.

“Exporters don’t pay export duties, except on special occasions, where goods that were otherwise imported and are being re-exported, they pay 2.5 per cent levy on the current value of the goods with the government’s permission.” He said.

In terms of the volumes of exports handled at the terminal within the last one year, Comptroller Odusanya: “From January to the end of September 2023, the Command has facilitated the export of 12,438 export containers; if you break them down, we have 6524 × 20-foot containers and 5914 × 40-foot containers with a FOB value of $518,690,852.93.

“For the goods, we have agricultural produce such as cocoa, cashew, soya, ginger, hibiscus flower (zobo leaves), cotton, sesame seeds, etc., locally manufactured goods like cigarettes, cosmetic items, beverages, among others and solid minerals such as aluminum, copper, magnesium, lithium and Zinc. We also have other sundry commodities such as foodstuffs, personal effects and others.”

Recall that stakeholders operating at the export terminal had at a recent forum disclosed that processing their documents with Customs has been efficient. They however observed that the service needed more manpower, possibly from other government security agencies stationed at the export terminal to ease their clearance processes.

Meanwhile, chairman, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN, Lilypond Export Terminal unit, Comrade Augustine Umunnakwe, while speaking on the speed of processing exports, said: “Customs officers are efficient in terms of their work, but where we have challenges with shipping companies because of less manpower to attend to us.

“Another thing is that, though government agencies are doing their work, in terms of clearance, their representatives should be stationed here to make the work more efficient.”  

Head of Processing, Diamond Star Port and Terminal Limited, Abdulsalam Babatunde, who also spoke with newsmen, stated that, as an export processing terminal, there is a strong relationship and collaboration with the shipping lines and government agencies.

In his words: “We facilitate the processing at the Port, we have our handshake with the major shipping lines and the terminal, we confirm the bookings to ensure that whatever leaves this terminal goes directly to the vessel, we ensure their quality and their quantity.

“We don’t do it alone. We work with NPA, ETP, and Customs as well and make sure that we do not export anything that has not been duly released by customs.”

Also speaking at the occasion, Principal Trade Promotion Officer at Nigeria Export Promotion Council NEPC Southwest, Emmanuel Ekle, disclosed that registration for exporters is a seamless process that is done online real time.

He further disclosed that the NEPC supports trade promotion activities and administers export incentives, one of which is the Export Expansion Grant EEG on behalf of the Federal Government.