The Kirikiri Lighter Terminal command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) experienced a boost in its revenue generation in the month of July as the dynamic Controller of the command, Compt. Timi Bomodi intensified efforts to ensure no loss of revenue.
The Command generated over N7.8 billion in the month
Speaking during a media chat with newsmen, Comptroller Bomodi explained that the figure was the first of its kind in the establishment of the Command.
According to him, the new revenue realization is a leap from the N3.5 to N3.6 billion that the Command has been collecting on monthly basis in the past six months due to lull in business transaction.
His words: “As for revenue, we are operating at less than ten percent, between January and June, we have been recording an average of N3.5 to 3.6 billion but remarkably, in July, for the first time in the history KLT Command, we were able to make N7.8 billion
“Not because necessarily, there was an increase in output, we tightened our revenue collection mechanism, we made our business processes more efficient.”
He said that, somehow, the exchange rate also impacted on that too. We are beginning to see an uplift in our collection which is remarkable and we believe that going forward, that will be our new reality.”
He insisted that the Command has the potentials to increase the revenue collection if the potentials and the necessary structures are put into maximum use.
“Kirikiri terminal has the capacity to handle 6,000 TEUs. We have phases one to four and other bonded warehouses and all these terminals are functioning at less than ten percent”.
“What it means is that between January and June, on the average, we were collecting between N3.5 to N3.6 billion. This however indicates that, we were under performing at less than ten percent, therefore if our performance reflects maximum capacity, it will soar up to about N30 billion each month.
“We have the space, we have the capacity but we don’t have the containers to make effective use of this space. “Fortunately, we have a good collaboration with NPA in terms of improving on existing infrastructure, and currently, NPA has done a remarkable work revamping phase 2.
“We asked that it is done because we can’t be talking about attracting shipment to the Command if the right infrastructure is not in place to address the challenges.
“They have actually improved on the terrain, they have done a lot of work and we applaud them for that,” he stated.