Customs hits ₦5.4trn revenue in 8 months as Minister tasks service on global trade leadership
Maureen Aguta
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been challenged to set new global standards in trade facilitation, cargo clearance and revenue administration following its record-breaking revenue performance in 2026.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, gave the charge during his inaugural board meeting and facility tour at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja on September 2, 2026.
Oyedele commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and officers of the Service for what he described as remarkable progress in revenue mobilisation, technology deployment and operational reforms.
The minister said the NCS generated N4.03 trillion in the first six months of the year, while an additional N1.38 trillion was collected in July and August, bringing its revenue haul for the first eight months of 2026 to about N5.41 trillion.
He said the performance demonstrated the growing capacity of the Service and provided a strong foundation for achieving its N11 trillion revenue target for the year.
According to Oyedele, the focus must now shift beyond revenue collection to positioning Nigeria as a regional and global benchmark in trade facilitation.
He urged the NCS to leverage its investments in automation, intelligence gathering and digital infrastructure to deliver faster cargo clearance, greater transparency and improved efficiency across the nation’s ports and borders.
“Results are precisely what should propel us to do more,” the minister said, stressing that Nigeria must compete internationally through measurable performance rather than rhetoric.
Oyedele said the Customs Service had demonstrated that technology-driven reforms and intelligence-led operations could significantly improve both revenue performance and the business environment.
He challenged the Service to build on the gains recorded under Adeniyi’s leadership by setting world-class standards in port efficiency, end-to-end cargo visibility, revenue integrity and trade facilitation.
The minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support for the NCS, saying the administration of President Bola Tinubu would continue to provide the Service with modern technology, operational equipment and policy backing required to sustain its transformation.
He said a more efficient Customs administration would not only strengthen government revenue but also reduce the cost and time associated with international trade, thereby improving Nigeria’s competitiveness.
The minister’s charge comes as the NCS intensifies efforts to modernise its operations and align Nigeria’s customs administration with international best practices.
Oyedele said the Service’s recent achievements should therefore be regarded not as an end in themselves, but as a platform for deeper reforms that would make Nigeria a more efficient and attractive trading destination in Africa.