N40.6bn export goods depart Lagos port in 2019-Customs

THE Apapa Customs Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that between January 1st to 18th of December 2019, a total of 262,095.09 metric tonnes of exported goods with Free On Board (FOB) value of $132,760,512.94 (N40,610,070,114.55) departed the Lagos seaport to foreign destinations.

This is even as the Command lamented the continuous rejection of Nigeria’s export cargoes, urging exporters to ensure minimum international standard on export consignments.

Addressing a press briefing on Friday in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command of the NCS, Compt. Mohammed Abba -Kura said that the command generated N413,732,818,554.19 between January to December 2019 compared to N404, 020, 447,791.42 generated in the corresponding period of 2018.

According to Abba-Kura, “This translate to an increase of 111percent in the Commands annual revenue target for 2019.”

On anti-smuggling, the Controller revealed that the Command seized a total of 112 containers of various items that flouted import procedures.

“Most notable among these items are pharmaceutical products which include Tramadol that were imported without necessary approval from regulatory agencies like NAFDAC.

“Other items include Tomato paste, vegetable oil, ladies and girls fashion footwear’s, expired rice, Armoured glasses without End User Certificate and drilling pipes labelled in foreign languages.

“All the seized items are in gross violation of our extant laws and import guidelines. The Duty Paid Value of these seizures stood at N12.8bn,” Comptroller Abba-Kura added.

On export cargoes, the Apapa CAC explained that most exported items were agricultural and mineral products.

“I want to use this medium to appeal to exporters using the Apapa Port, to always ensure that minimum International standards are met before exporting  their consignment to avoid the recurrent incidences of their consignments being rejected.

“We have cases of export containers being rejected, although I don’t have the figures now. However, this can be reduced to the barest minimum if exporters adopt international best practices on their export consignments,” Abba-Kura stated.

He also appealed to the importers of pharmaceutical products to respect and comply with the country’s guidelines on importation of these products to rid the nation of counterfeited and prohibited edicaments with its attendant consequences to the nation.