Connect with us

Business & Economy

Reps C’ttee gives Customs 2 weeks to reduce cargo clearing stages

Published

on

Nigeria Custom Logo
Nigeria Custom Logo
Share

 

The House of Representatives Committee on Customs has given the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) two weeks to reduce its 18 cargo clearing stages to four.

The committee made the resolution on Tuesday, in Abuja, after an interactive session with stakeholders.

It insisted that the Comptroller General of Customs should appear in person to explain the processes.

The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Leke Abejide (SDC-Kogi) said that the process should be limited to the offices of the Comptroller Area Commander (CAC), Deputy Comptroller Revenue (DCR), Officer in Charge of Bond and then Gate.

He said that all other stages should be removed to allow for free flow of activities in the ports, describing them as avenues for illegal transactions by corrupt officers of the service.

“Once it gets to the CAC, the CAC should minute it directly to the Deputy Comptroller Revenue, from there, it goes to Officer in Charge of Bond and then to the Gate for exit.

“We have to do something about this, let us bring down these procedures to four stages; somebody is getting revenue illegally, but if we do this, we will cut away all these illegalities and the revenue goes to government,’’ he said.

The chairman said that the committee would not work on the Custom’s 2022 budget, if provisions were not made to fix all the scanners in the ports.

He said that government had invested over $420 million dollars on the scanners and the committee would not allow such investment to go down the drain.

The Deputy Comptroller, Tariff and Trade, Mrs Talatu Isah, said that there was need to investigate the matter before taking action, saying that the procedure should not be that cumbersome.

She said that the service was working hard to ensure ease of doing business in the country and security by ensuring only approved goods got into the country.

The officer said that any dealer subjected to a cumbersome procedure to clear merchandise should report to the Comptroller Area Commander.

Earlier, the acting Managing Director, Nigerian Port Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, said that Customs had multiple units within the same port, making the process cumbersome.

“After Customs finishes 100 percent examination, just when you think it is over, you load your container, you now find another Custom checkpoint within the same port.

“In the name of Federal Strike force or something and they leave the truck there for 30 minutes to one hour causing a lot of problems.

“And when you go out again, you find another Customs person and that is why Nigeria has lost the transit cargo market; what we now have is captive cargo, even some of the captive cargo is going somewhere else because of the cumbersome way things are done,’’ he said.

Bello-Koko said that some cargoes that should have gone to Niger and other countries through Nigeria went through other countries owing to multiple Customs and police check points between the country and Niger.

The Managing Director, Inland Container Nigeria Ltd, Mr Ismail Yussuf, also said that there were too many tables through which documents were processed, before cargoes go out of the ports.

He said that it should not be more than three, if the service scanners were activated at the port and electronic clearing system deployed.

He added that because Customs often changed procedures without prior notification of stakeholders, trying to adjust to such instant changes caused delays.

Yussuf said that the poor means of transportation out of the port was another challenge, stressing the need for road reconstruction and provision of other transport options. (NAN)

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business & Economy

Tinubu Tables ₦58.18trn 2026 Budget, Projects Sustained Economic Stability

Published

on

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Share

President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented a ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly of Nigeria, declaring that Nigeria’s economy is showing measurable signs of stabilisation following years of structural pressure.

Tagged “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” the 2026 fiscal plan is aimed at locking in recent macroeconomic gains while translating economic recovery into improved living standards for citizens.

According to the President, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, while inflation moderated significantly, falling to 14.45 per cent in November 2025 from 24.23 per cent in March 2025.

“With stabilising food and energy prices, tighter monetary conditions, and improving supply responses, we expect the disinflationary trend to persist into 2026, barring major supply shocks,” Tinubu said during the presentation on December 19, 2025.

The President highlighted additional positive indicators, including improved crude oil production, rising non-oil revenues, renewed investor confidence, and external reserves climbing to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.

Under the proposal, the Federal Government projects ₦34.33 trillion in revenue against planned expenditure of ₦58.18 trillion, resulting in a budget deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, equivalent to 4.28 per cent of GDP. Tinubu emphasised that the fiscal framework is built on realism, prudence, and growth-driven assumptions.

He further assured lawmakers of tighter discipline in budget implementation, stressing that fiscal spending in 2026 would be more outcome-focused.

“Every naira spent or borrowed must deliver measurable public value,” the President said.

Continue Reading

Business & Economy

CBN Governor Reassures U.S. Investors on Nigeria’s Economic Reforms, Stability

Published

on

CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso
Share

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reassured United States investors of Nigeria’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and market-driven reforms, amid global economic uncertainty.

Cardoso gave the assurance during high-level engagements with U.S. business leaders and institutional investors in Washington, D.C., including the U.S.–Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable.

Speaking at the forum, the CBN governor said Nigeria remains focused on rules-based economic management, transparent markets, and predictable policy frameworks to restore investor confidence and drive sustainable economic growth.

He highlighted recent reforms in the foreign exchange market, the adoption of orthodox monetary policy measures, ongoing banking sector reforms, and the modernisation of the payments system. According to him, the reforms are aimed at stabilising the economy and supporting private-sector-led development.

The roundtable, convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity, and opportunities to scale bankable projects across key sectors of the Nigerian economy. Discussions also emphasised efforts to deepen commercial and investment ties between Nigeria and the United States.

Commenting on the outcome of the engagement, President of the U.S.-Africa Business Center, Ms. Kendra Gaither, said investors are increasingly prioritising policy credibility and consistency.

She noted that clarity of rules, credible reforms, and disciplined economic management are critical factors driving investor interest, adding that Nigeria’s evolving message of discipline and opportunity is important in a global economy seeking stability and predictability.

Continue Reading

Business & Economy

Tinubu Welcomes Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List, Pledges Continued Financial Reforms

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Share

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the removal of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, describing it as a major milestone in the nation’s economic reform and global credibility drive.

The FATF, the world’s foremost body for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting on Friday at its plenary session in Paris, France.

The decision formally removes Nigeria from the list of countries under increased monitoring, following the nation’s successful completion of its FATF Action Plan after over two years of sustained reforms and inter-agency coordination.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the development reflects Nigeria’s progress in strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

“Rather than treat our placement on the grey list in 2023 as a setback, we saw it as a call to action,” the President said. “This delisting is a strategic victory for our economy and a renewed vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial governance.”

The President credited the achievement to far-reaching legal, institutional, and operational reforms implemented under his administration through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in collaboration with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and other key ministries.

Tinubu commended the Director/CEO of the NFIU, Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, and her team for their diligence and professionalism, as well as the contributions of several ministries, agencies, and private sector representatives who participated in the National Task Force on AML/CFT.

He also acknowledged the support of international partners including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Commission, for their technical assistance throughout Nigeria’s reform process.

President Tinubu assured that his administration will sustain and deepen the reforms that led to the country’s delisting.

“This is not just a technical accomplishment,” he said. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our financial reform agenda as we continue building a system Nigerians and the world can trust.”

Continue Reading