NCS says interception of vegetable oil, used clothing, tomato paste part of intelligence-driven efforts to safeguard farmers, manufacturers, jobs
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Wednesday, 16 September 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian farmers, manufacturers and businesses from prohibited imports, false declarations and other trade practices capable of undermining domestic production and job creation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made this known on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, while briefing newsmen at the Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, Rivers State, where he disclosed the interception of 56 containers containing prohibited goods with a total duty paid value (DPV) of N5.53 billion.
According to the Comptroller-General, the seizures were the outcome of intelligence-driven and risk-based operations undertaken by officers of the Service to prevent prohibited, restricted and improperly declared consignments from gaining access to the Nigerian market.
He explained that the intervention was part of the NCS’s broader responsibility to ensure that the nation’s trade environment remained secure while preventing activities capable of weakening the productivity and competitiveness of local businesses.
Adeniyi said unchecked importation of goods that could be produced or processed locally had significant implications for Nigerian farmers, manufacturers and other domestic producers.
He noted that such imports could expose local businesses to unfair competition, reduce demand for locally produced goods and discourage investment across domestic value chains.
The Customs boss particularly highlighted the potential impact on the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, stressing that large-scale importation of products that Nigeria had the capacity to produce or process could undermine government efforts to strengthen local industries, improve food security, create employment opportunities and diversify the nation’s economy.
He said the Service’s enforcement activities should not be viewed as an attempt to frustrate legitimate businesses, but as measures designed to ensure that compliant businesses operated within a fair, secure and predictable trading environment.
According to him, the NCS had continued to apply a risk-based approach that allowed legitimate cargo to be facilitated while consignments considered high-risk were subjected to enhanced scrutiny.
“The intervention formed part of intelligence-driven and risk-based operations aimed at preventing prohibited, restricted and improperly declared consignments from entering the Nigerian market, thereby crippling the overall productivity of our local businesses,” Adeniyi said.
The Comptroller-General also commended the Customs Area Controller, Port Harcourt II Area Command, Comptroller Aliyu Alkali, and officers of the command for their vigilance and successful interceptions.
He urged importers and other stakeholders involved in international trade to ascertain the admissibility of their intended imports before commencing transactions.
Adeniyi further advised importers to ensure that all declarations made to the Customs Service were accurate, particularly in relation to the description, quantity, value, origin and classification of goods.
He warned that inaccurate or false declarations could expose importers and their consignments to enforcement action, while also undermining the integrity of Nigeria’s trade system.
Giving details of the intercepted consignments, the Comptroller-General said they comprised 45 20-foot containers of foreign vegetable oil, nine 40-foot containers of used clothing and two 20-foot containers of Channy tomato paste.
The interception, he said, was consistent with the Federal Government’s broader economic objectives, particularly policies aimed at encouraging the production and consumption of made-in-Nigeria goods.
The NCS maintained that the enforcement action was necessary to ensure that prohibited and improperly declared goods did not undermine domestic production or weaken the investments being made by Nigerian farmers, manufacturers and other businesses.
The Service’s position also reflects its dual responsibility of facilitating legitimate international trade while enforcing Nigeria’s import regulations and protecting the country’s economic interests.
The Customs authorities urged importers to familiarise themselves with the country’s import guidelines and ensure full compliance before shipping goods into Nigeria, stressing that proper declarations and adherence to import regulations remained essential for a predictable trading environment.
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