Seme Customs rakes in N3.4bn in February as agro-exports, border reforms lift trade

Maureen Aguta

The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated N3.48 billion in revenue in February 2026, marking a sharp rise from the N743.69 million recorded in the same period last year.

Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Wale Adenuga, disclosed this on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Badagry, Lagos, where he represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Adenuga said the Command generated N3,480,970,924.67 with days still left in the month, describing the performance as a clear indication of renewed confidence and improved trade flow along the Seme–Krake corridor.

“For this February that has not yet ended, we have already generated N3.48 billion as against N743.69 million in February 2025. This clearly shows that the flow of trade is getting better and people are building greater confidence in the Seme–Krake corridor,” he said.

The engagement, themed ‘Empowering Cross-Border Traders through Trade Information Desk for Agricultural Traders,’ was organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme and GIZ International.

Agro-export boost

The CAC attributed the revenue spike largely to improved trade facilitation measures and rising agricultural exports through the Lagos–Abidjan highway corridor, a key regional trade route linking Nigeria to neighbouring West African countries.

Stakeholders at the meeting noted that structured engagement with cross-border traders and farmers, alongside clearer trade information channels, has reduced bottlenecks and improved compliance levels.

Adenuga also disclosed that checkpoints along the Seme–Gbaji axis have been drastically reduced following coordinated efforts with other security agencies operating in the corridor.

 

According to him, only Agbara and Gbaji remain as officially approved and sanctioned Customs checkpoints along the route.

He said the streamlining of checkpoints was aimed at eliminating unnecessary delays while safeguarding national security.

Security gains

The Customs boss further linked the improved trade atmosphere to enhanced inter-agency cooperation at the border. He explained that monthly joint security meetings among agencies have strengthened intelligence sharing and operational synergy, leading to a noticeable decline in criminal activities along the axis.

“These regular engagements have improved cooperation and response to security challenges, thereby creating a safer and more enabling environment for legitimate cross-border trade,” he said.

Despite the revenue gains, Adenuga stressed that enforcement remains a core mandate of the Command.

He revealed that operatives recently intercepted a Toyota Highlander vehicle conveying 22 packages of cocaine with an estimated street value of over N1 billion. The seizure, he said, was made possible through credible intelligence shared by the CGC.

In addition, the Command confiscated 1,000 bags of 50kg parboiled rice in February alone as part of ongoing anti-smuggling operations.

The seizures, he noted, underscore the Command’s commitment to suppressing illicit trade while facilitating legitimate commerce.

Adenuga reiterated the vigilance of officers and men of the Command and pledged sustained collaboration with traders, farmers, security agencies and regional partners to consolidate gains recorded along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.

With February revenue already quadrupling last year’s figure, industry observers say the Seme Command’s performance signals a potentially stronger non-oil revenue outlook if the current trade momentum is sustained.