Tin Can Customs handles 1.7m tonnes of non-oil exports…Grows revenue by 41%

The Tin Can Island command of the Nigeria Customs Service in the 2021 fiscal year, significantly boosted Federal Government’s non-oil export drive as it handled a total of 1.73million metric tonnes of export cargo between January-December with Free On Board FOB value of N142billion.

The command also grew its revenue by 41.05per cent, collecting a total of N494billion,which is N143billion higher than its target of N350billion, which represents a growth rate of 41.05per cent. This impressive revenue record also represents an increase of N107.9billion or 28per cent when compared with the N385.7billion recorded in the preceding period of 2020.

Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Abdullahi Musa, in a review of the command’s performance in the outgone year, attributed this impressive revenue performance to the effective implementation of the World Customs Organisation WCO Trade Recovery Guidelines.

He said: “The 2021 fiscal year saw the outbreak of the Delta and Omicron variants of the COVID – 19 Virus. However, the effective implementation of the WCO Trade Recovery Guidelines assisted the command in restoring and maintaining operational activities which ensured continuity in the trade supply chain, trade facilitation and steady revenue generation. “The Recovery Guidelines include maintenance of Covid-19 protocols such as the use of face masks and physical distancing, compulsory vaccination of customs officers against the Covid-19 Virus, the effective use of the fast track facility and the installation of scanners to minimise human contact and expedite the customs release process especially for high priority consignments of essential medicaments and other lifesaving supplies.

“Additionally, existing and supplementary measures were put in place to enable the command to achieve its strategic goals, the TCIP management team devised and implemented strategies that enhanced and sustained the command’s ability to mitigate threats of non-compliance as well as the challenges of inadequate logistics and infrastructure at the ports.”

He also disclosed that committed efforts were made by the command to build on the gains of its operational activities in the previous years, such as the compliance monitoring activities, deployment of Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System NICIS II, One-Stop-Shop , Dispute Resolution Committee and stakeholders’ engagements also helped the command to meet its revenue target.

It was further gathered that the command deployed these measures to enable it facilitate legitimate trade and enforce fiscal and monetary policies of government in line with the Import Guidelines and Documentation Requirements and WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, respectively.

Speaking further on trade facilitation, the CAC disclosed that a new terminal, Classic III Bonded Terminal was opened under the command, which helped in boosting cargo throughput and revenue collection.

Available records show that a total of 30,441 containers were transferred under the fast track module, while 58, 234 containers and vehicles were approved for transit from the mother port to Bonded Terminals. Investigations also show that with the successful implementation of Standard Operating Procedure (S.O.P.) on barge operations, a total of 36,496 containers were transported form the command through the waterways by barges to Bonded Terminals and Free Trade Zones.

“Additionally, rating of the compliance monitoring activities show that compliance levels improved significantly. Out of 166,903 Single Goods Declarations SGDs registered in 2021, there were 2,484(1.5per cent) interventions. This shows an enhanced compliance rating of about 63.4per cent and an improvement from the 2019 compliance rating of 15,295 (9.4per cent) out of 162,110 SGDs registered”, he said.

Recall that the command had in the review period improved and sustained its enforcement and anti-smuggling campaign in synergy with sister government agencies, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, which led to the seizure of cocaine with a net weight of 43.110kg concealed in 40 bags of raw sugar packaged in bulk aboard the vessel MV SPAR SCORPIO.

About 20 suspects and the vessel were detained in connection with the seizure; while the command was directed to handover the casefile, vessel and suspects to the NDLEA in tandem with existing SOP.

The command also seized two (2) automatic rifles with 164 rounds of live ammunition which were intercepted in a 1x40ft container MEDU 49022/5. The ammunitions have since been handed over to the Directorate of State Security DSS. 

Other seizures include a total of 151 containers made of 149 units of 40-foot, two pieces of twenty equivalent units TEUs and nine other non-container cargo were intercepted and seized by the enforcement team with a total Duty Payable Value DPV of N607.4million.

The CAC, who listed some of the operational challenges faced by the command said: “Though efforts have been made by the Federal Government, Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, and Customs to mitigate the challenges of infrastructure and logistics through major repairs of the port access roads, a more organised exit and entry system for cargo trucks as well as the provision and installation of scanners at the ports respectively would help. We hope that these efforts will be sustained to create a more user-friendly seaport that matches international standards and enables the facilitation of legitimate trade.

“In spite of the above developments, the lack of government warehouses at close proximity to the port and the lassitude in application of extant customs laws guiding the treatment of overtime cargo by the terminal operators remain an area that needs dedicated attention. The timely transfer of overtime cargo from the mother port and some Bonded Terminals to the government warehouses and the application of due process as provided by law will not only decongest the port of abandoned or overtime containers but will also improve the cargo throughput and ultimately increase revenue collection.

“In the coming year 2022, and with the approval and implementation of the e-Customs project and its content of digitisation of all customs processes and procedures;  our projection will include improved performance in the areas of revenue collection, facilitation of legitimate trade, enhance the capacity and skills of officers and men of the command as we continue to work in line with the CGC’s agenda to reform, restructure and increase revenue collection”, Comptroller Musa also said.

While expressing appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) and the entire management team of the service for providing purposeful leadership, he assured that the command will continue to work in tandem with the extant guidelines for the actualisation of the mandate and the vision of the customs management.