Seme Border Visit: House Committee Praises Customs for Seizures and Revenue Generation

Seme Border Visit: House Committee Praises Customs for Seizures and Revenue Generation

By prince Benson Davies

The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, led by Chairman Leke Abejide, has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its impressive revenue generation and security efforts. During an oversight visit to the NCS Seme Border Command, the committee praised the service’s recent seizures, highlighting the importance of these efforts in protecting the nation’s borders and enhancing national security.

Welcoming the lawmakers, Comptroller of the Seme Command, Dr. Ben Oramalugo, PhD, expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as a reinforcement of the National Assembly’s support for Customs modernization and improved border management.

Dr. Oramalugo highlighted the strategic relevance of the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post (JBP) located along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, describing it as a critical hub for regional trade integration. He emphasized the command’s commitment to efficient cross-border cooperation with the Republic of Benin through the one-stop border model, aimed at streamlining clearance processes and boosting economic activity.

According to the CAC Since taking office on February 11, 2025, the Command has focused on four key areas: revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration.

The Command, he said, generated over N1.98 billion in the first quarter of 2025, driven by improved compliance, risk-based enforcement, and technology adoption. On the export front, more than 96,000 metric tons of goods were processed, with a Free on Board (FOB) value of N20.45 billion, between January and March 2025.

Dr. Oramalugo reported the interception of petroleum products, narcotics, foreign parboiled rice, poultry, vehicles, and other contraband within the first quarter, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N855.7 million.

The comptroller, however, outlined several challenges affecting operations at the Seme border. These include poor infrastructure, equipment shortages, limited manpower, lack of electricity supply in the area for over seven years, and severe ocean encroachment threatening border facilities.

He appealed for government intervention in critical areas such as power restoration, technology deployment, environmental protection, and completion of abandoned projects.

In his remarks, Hon. Abejide commended the command’s performance and reaffirmed the committee’s mission to ensure that allocated funds are properly utilized. He said the oversight tour was essential in reviewing capital projects and revenue performance in line with 2023 and 2024 budgetary provisions.

“We are here to evaluate your operations and project implementations to determine what will be retained, improved, or removed in the 2025 budget,” Abejide stated.

He urged the command to provide comprehensive data on its revenue targets, digital transformation efforts under the E-Customs program, and anti-smuggling strategies. He also stressed the importance of prioritizing the welfare of officers and pledged legislative backing to address pressing operational challenges.

The visit came to a close with the committee expressing satisfaction with the service’s efforts and encouraging continued collaboration to enhance revenue generation and border security.