The Port Harcourt Area I Command of Nigeria Customs Service has collected a whopping sum of ₦17,065,088,480.16 in January 2024.
In a document released to newsmen last Friday, in Port Harcourt, Comptroller Mustapha Hashim, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, stated that the figure signifies a remarkable surplus of ₦8,157,866,418.27 compared to January 2023, which stood at ₦8,907,222,061.89.
Comptroller Hashim further revealed in the statement that the January revenue exceeded the mandated monthly revenue target of the Command by ₦1,713,277,636.7, set at ₦15,351,810,843.46.
“The revenue for this month is generated from import duties collected on various bulk cargoes with a total metric tonne of 421,899,302,” the controller stated.
Comptroller Hashim highlighted some of the Command’s efforts to create a conducive business environment, mentioning ongoing sensitization programs to educate traders on the Federal Government’s trade policies.
According to him, the Command is also actively engaging stakeholders, targeting importers and exporters in the region.
He outlined the annual revenue target for the Command at ₦184,221,730,121.48, representing 4.52 percent of the Service’s yearly target.
Comptroller Hashim expressed optimism about meeting the task and issued a stern warning against any form of smuggling through the Port.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for their support in providing an enabling environment to strive. “We thank the CGC for his support, especially the ongoing training of officers and men of the command, which has impacted this revenue collection for January,” he concluded.