In his continuous effort and renewed vigor to bring stakeholders up to speed on some of the emerging policies of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Customs Area Controller Tincan Island Port Command Comptroller Frank Onyeka says he has successfully engaged a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including importers, Customs brokers, shipping agents, and other key players in the maritime sub – sector, of the economy, to sensitize them on the implementation of the 4% Free on Board (FOB) levy and the new Unified Customs Management System known as B’Odogwu.
This was contained in a press release issued and signed by the public Relations officer of the Command, SC Oscar Ivara
The interactive sessions which were held at the Command Thursday February 6,and Friday February 7, 2025, brought together experts from both the private and public sectors, and created an open forum for dialogue on the operational implications of those new initiatives.
The statement noted that those developments were aimed to streamline Nigeria’s Customs processes while improving efficiency and transparency within the trade and importation landscape.
The Area Controller emphasized the importance of those reforms, particularly the 4% FOB levy, which applies to the value of goods at the point of import.
According to him, the 4% FOB levy which was provided for in Section 18 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 was expected to boost the operational efficiency of the service in line with International best practices.
Additionally, he stated that the introduction of the B’Odogwu Clearance System was highlighted as a step towards modernizing the Customs clearance process while reducing bottlenecks and enhancing compliance.
Even as he insisted that the scheme would soon be launched in the Command.
On revenue generation, Compt Onyeka disclosed that in January 2025, the Command successfully generated a total of N116, 412,735,766.23.
This, according to him, represented a significant increase when compared to the amount collected in January 2024, which stood at N88, 430,126,122.76.
He added that the difference between the two figures was N27, 982,609,643.47, which corresponded to a 24.06% increase year-over-year.
However, Comptroller Frank expressed optimism regarding the continued growth, stating that “the Command is on track to surpass its 2025 annual target of N1, 524,699,999,478.52,”
Hence, he restated his resolve to adequately take steps to maintaining the momentum throughout the year.
On some of the reforms introduced at the Command so far, Comptroller Onyeka said he was creating a more trade-friendly environment for all Port activities to strive,even as he reiterated that the era of multiple alerts were over, and stressed that honest declarations and thorough examinations must be emphasized.
He promised to continue to engage stakeholders, as according to him, “this is a crucial part of ensuring the success of these initiatives,”.
Speaking further, he said, “Through constant collaboration and feedback, we aim to address concerns, foster a better understanding of the processes, and ultimately ensure smooth implementation of these policies.”
He hinted that “the directives from the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR to initiate these consultations underscore the commitment of the Service to transparency, effective communication, and partnership with stakeholders as it navigates through the evolving landscape of international trade.
By Bon Peters
