By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command of the Nigeria Customs service, NCS collected 50.8 billion revenue in 2024.

The service, in a statement said the figure represents over 50 percent increase in revenue collection when compared to N28 billion collected in the preceding year 2023.

The statement signed by Customs Area controller, Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command, Comptroller Comfort Ukpanah,
described the collection as a feat ever achieved since the inception of the command.
However, the command reiterated its commitment to ensuring it surpass the new year revenue.

She said the command achieved success through deliberate and concerted efforts at alignment with the three policy guidelines of the comptroller General of customs: Consultation, Innovation and Consolidation.

Her words: “In this regard, the command worked assiduously to create an all-inclusive methodology in our modus Operandi with our stakeholders.

“Consequently, the command leveraged on that to galvanize and earn the trust of our esteemed stakeholders in adhering very strictly to the extant guidelines in terms of trade.

“Additionally, the command developed a template for monitoring compliance by the stakeholders as well as with the commitment levels of our officers/men to ensure that all verified operational gaps are blocked. This procedure was also applied to our excise factories and parcel post functions.

“The command, through intelligence sharing and collaboration was able to identify excise factories that use hitherto not brought under excise control.

“The command ensured round the clock (24hrs) surveillance on activities of such factories, in addition to the existing ones, to ensure that appropriate excise duties were collected. the command clearly understands the risk in not paying attention to parcel posts; hence the rejigged effort.

“Generally speaking, the period under review had its fair share of challenges occasioned by the global economic recession. However, the resilience and deep commitment of our officers/men enabled us to ensure that identified areas of revenue leakages were blocked with a view to collecting all collectible revenue.

“The command is not oblivious of its’ obligations and role in realising the revenue target set for the NCS in view of the fact that the service has a pivotal role in the overall revenue projection for the nation.

“You will recall that just recently, the President announced a budget of 49.74 trillion as budget projection for 2025, in view of this, the command will surely take steps to reposition itself and create fresh operational strategies to ensure that we meet and even surpass the revenue target that will be given to the command in this new year. we have the competence and capacity to achieve that.

“ It is also instructive to note that during the year under reference, several activities aimed at strengthening the existing relationship between the service and other agencies, including traditional institutions was given a priority attention.

“We had the exceptional support of the various security/regulatory agencies. Also, intelligence sharing was a critical factor that necessitated our giant strides.