By Edwin Nwabugu
It was a carnival of some sort as Apapa Area Command of the Nigerian Custom service NCS on Tuesday 16th 2025 threw party to celebrate a year of robust revenue performance. The ceremony which was held in Apapa country Club in Lagos attracted officers and men of the command including Maritime stakeholders and representative of the Controller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi MFR who was represented by the Assistant Controller General Customs Zonal Controller zone A ,ACG Mohammed Babandele and several maritime stakeholders. In opening remarks, ACG Babandele commended stakeholders, heads of sister agencies and traditional rulers for their cooperation and commitment to safeguarding the country’s territorial borders. In his address, the Customs Area Controller Apapa Custom Command Controller Emmanuel Oshoba stated that the Command recorded remarkable milestone in 2025 driven by reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, predictability and ease of doing business as the nation’s busiest port. According to him, the command generated N2.636 trillion between January and November 2025 representing a 19.9 per cent increase over the N2.2 trillion that was recorded in the corresponding period of 2024 .The Controller attributed the improved performance to enhanced compliance , increased automation, effective monitoring and initiatives implemented by the Command in line with the CGC reforms agenda which included the authorised Economic Operator AEO program, the One Stop Shop OSS and the United Customs Management System also known as B’ODOGWU which has strengthened automation, risk management, revenue assurance and data integration. He also noted that the Command recorded notable seizures which included drugs, arms and ammunition and expired goods within the same period under review. He finally used the occasion to honour outstanding officers and maritime stakeholders for professionalism, patriotism and dedication to duty.