Oshoba attributes milestone to reforms, improved compliance, digital innovations, forex stability
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has recorded a historic monthly revenue collection of ₦323 billion in July 2026, the highest figure ever achieved by the Command, with the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, attributing the feat to ongoing reforms, improved compliance, operational efficiency and relative stability in the foreign exchange market.
Oshoba disclosed this on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at the Command’s monthly meeting with Deputy Comptrollers in charge of terminals and Unit Heads, where he reviewed the revenue performance and charged officers to sustain the momentum as the year progresses.
The latest revenue figure surpasses the previous record of ₦304 billion achieved in October 2025, also under Oshoba’s leadership, further highlighting the Command’s improved revenue-generating capacity.
The Customs Area Controller commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, and the management team of the Nigeria Customs Service for their commitment to the modernisation of the Service.
He said the various innovations introduced under the modernisation programme had streamlined Customs operations, provided clearer direction for officers and contributed significantly to the Command’s improved performance.
“We recognise and acknowledge the CGC’s devotion and dedication to the modernisation project of the Nigerian Customs Service. The management team has introduced several innovations that have streamlined our activities and given us clear direction,” Oshoba said.
He particularly highlighted the improved performance of the B’Odogwu digital platform, noting that although the system initially encountered challenges, subsequent improvements had strengthened its effectiveness and contributed to better operational outcomes.
Oshoba also identified the One-Stop Shop (OSS) initiative as another major factor supporting the Command’s performance, saying it had helped accelerate cargo delivery and created a more predictable environment for legitimate businesses involved in importation.
According to him, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) framework, which currently has more than 200 beneficiaries, has also positively impacted the Command’s revenue profile by facilitating compliant trade and improving the efficiency of Customs processes.
The Customs Area Controller further attributed the revenue growth to intelligence-driven enforcement operations carried out by officers and men of the Command.
He said the Command had intensified efforts to detect false declarations and enforce compliance with approved valuation principles, stressing that such interventions were necessary to protect government revenue and prevent revenue leakages.
Oshoba also credited the enabling business environment created by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, particularly the relative stability in the foreign exchange market, for contributing to improved trade activities.
He explained that greater predictability in the foreign exchange market had enabled importers and other business operators to plan their activities more effectively, make informed commercial decisions and conduct legitimate trade with increased confidence.
The CAC, however, challenged officers to look beyond routine revenue collection and identify additional ways of contributing to the Command’s overall performance.
“In your Area of Responsibility, you must ask yourself, apart from the normal revenue generated by your Unit, what is your own contribution in terms of intervention? What have I added?” he asked.
He stressed that trade facilitation and ease of doing business must remain central to Customs operations, describing the current business environment as increasingly predictable and conducive to growth.
Oshoba directed officers to ensure that disputes arising from cargo examinations were resolved promptly, while consignments requiring further scrutiny must be handled in accordance with established procedures.
He also instructed personnel to maintain proper documentation and ensure that cases requiring further examination were appropriately processed through the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) mechanism.
On relations with stakeholders, the Customs Area Controller urged officers to adopt a professional and solution-oriented approach when dealing with importers, agents and other stakeholders.
“When you interact with stakeholders, let them leave your office with hope rather than despair. As a leader, do not allow anyone who comes to you to depart feeling hopeless or depressed. Give people hope,” he said.
Oshoba acknowledged the cooperation of stakeholders and sister government agencies, saying their support had contributed to improved compliance and greater orderliness within the business environment.
He urged Customs personnel to reciprocate the cooperation by building trust through professionalism, respect, transparency and effective collaboration.
The CAC also charged officers to uphold discipline and transparency while keeping pace with the rapidly evolving digital processes within the Nigeria Customs Service.
He encouraged personnel to consult more experienced colleagues whenever necessary, stressing that continuous learning and knowledge-sharing were essential to effective Customs administration.
On leadership and staff welfare, Oshoba described effective leadership as a collective responsibility and called on Staff Officers to support Deputy Controllers in maintaining discipline and fostering a healthy working environment.
He emphasised the need for compassion, empathy, teamwork and genuine concern for the welfare of subordinate officers, saying a productive workforce depended on responsible leadership and effective teamwork.
The Customs Area Controller further directed officers to remain security-conscious, strengthen supervision, participate actively in continuous in-house training and ensure strict adherence to approved Customs procedures.
He charged all units to sustain the current revenue performance, deepen professional development and remain focused on productivity, trade facilitation and efficient service delivery.
While commending officers and compliant stakeholders for contributing to the record revenue collection, Oshoba cautioned that the achievement should not be regarded as an end in itself.
He described the ₦323 billion July performance as a stepping stone towards greater accomplishments, urging officers to build on the achievement and work towards further breakthroughs as the year 2026 draws to a close.
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