Comptroller Kaila Outlines Seme Customs’ Progress in Trade Facilitation and Enforcement

Comptroller Kaila Outlines Seme Customs’ Progress in Trade Facilitation and Enforcement

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has recorded notable gains in revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling enforcement since the assumption of office of Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila in March 2026. Presenting the Command’s scorecard at a media briefing held on Monday, 25 May 2026, at the Command Headquarters in Seme, Kaila said the results reflect the Service’s commitment to the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Addressing journalists, stakeholders, officers and men of the Service, Kaila stated that the briefing was convened to provide an overview of the Command’s operational activities. He noted that revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling enforcement remain central to the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and align with the federal government’s national development priorities.

The Command generated a total of ₦9,798,938,969 between March 2026 and the date of the briefing. This marks an increase of ₦7,610,533,220 compared to the ₦2,188,405,749 collected within the same period in 2025, representing a growth rate of 448 percent. Kaila attributed the performance to strengthened compliance mechanisms, improved stakeholder cooperation, intensified anti-revenue leakage measures, enhanced operational efficiency, and the strategic deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System. He added that the dedication and vigilance of officers and men of the Command also contributed significantly to the achievement. He pledged that the Command would sustain the gains through institutional reforms, intelligence-driven monitoring, and transparent trade procedures that support legitimate trade while blocking revenue leakages.

As one of Nigeria’s most strategic and busiest land border formations, Seme plays a critical role in regional and continental trade under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area. In line with the Service’s trade facilitation mandate, the Command has intensified engagement with licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, transport unions, importers, exporters, traditional institutions, and sister security agencies. Through sustained consultations and regular interface meetings, the Command has addressed operational bottlenecks, simplified clearance procedures, improved compliance awareness, and strengthened trust between the Service and the trading public. Officers continue to guide Small and Medium Enterprises seeking access to regional and international markets, particularly on export documentation and regulatory compliance. These efforts support the federal government’s economic diversification agenda, non-oil export promotion, and the drive to improve Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business ranking.

On anti-smuggling operations, Kaila reported that coordinated patrols and surveillance along the Seme-Badagry corridor and adjoining routes yielded significant seizures within the last three months. The Command intercepted 1,000 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic prohibited under the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act and Section 245(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. The drugs are being processed for handover to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.

The Command also seized substantial quantities of unregistered pharmaceutical products, including codeine-based cough syrups and various sexual enhancement drugs without certification from NAFDAC, in violation of Section 55(1)(c) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023. The items include 55 bottles of Ultimate Plus Maca Syrup, 88 packs of 99 Bullets Herbal Medicine, 10 cartons of Ultimate Plus Maca Sildenafil Citrate 200mg, 14 cartons of Super Sexy Sildenafil Citrate 200mg, 14 cartons of Machine Man Sildenafil Citrate 200mg, quantities of Bottom Up Sildenafil Citrate 200mg, 100 packs of Tramaking, and 100 packs of Tempendol. These products will be handed over to NAFDAC for regulatory action.

Other seizures recorded include 2,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 340 kegs of 25 litres each of foreign vegetable oil, 103 kegs of 30 litres each of Premium Motor Spirit, 993 cartons of foreign spaghetti, and 250 bales of used clothing. The Duty Paid Value of all intercepted items stands at ₦501,845,772. Kaila said the seizures underscore the Command’s zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and its determination to protect the nation’s economy, support local industries, preserve public safety, and enforce compliance with import and export regulations. He warned smugglers and their collaborators that Seme would not serve as a safe haven for illicit trade, noting that the Command has strengthened its intelligence network, enhanced surveillance across land and maritime routes, and intensified collaboration with security and regulatory agencies. To compliant traders, he reiterated that compliance remains the safest, fastest, and most cost-effective pathway for conducting international trade.

In closing, Kaila commended the officers and men of the Seme Area Command for their resilience, discipline, and commitment to duty. He also thanked stakeholders and host communities for their support and cooperation. He reaffirmed that under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Service remains committed to balancing revenue generation with trade facilitation, border security, and national economic development. He appreciated members of the media for their role in promoting public awareness, transparency, and accountability, noting that accurate reporting remains invaluable to the success of the Service’s operations and institutional reforms.