The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has welcomed a new helmsman at its Apapa Command as Comptroller Emmanuel Osoba officially assumed duty, succeeding Assistant Comptroller-General (Dr) Babatunde Olomu, fsi. In a ceremony attended by senior customs officers, terminal heads, stakeholders, and members of the press, Osoba outlined his vision for the command, emphasizing modernization, collaboration, and continuity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am deeply humbled by the trust placed in me by the CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, dsm, psc(+), to lead this area which is at the center of customs operations and reforms in our great country,\u201d Osoba said in his inaugural address.<\/p>\n
He commended his predecessor for the command\u2019s stellar performance and pledged to build on the existing legacy. \u201cMy work period here won\u2019t be an exception. I live with a desire to improve any environment I find myself,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Osoba introduced his leadership philosophy anchored on the \u201cThree LS\u2014 Look, Listen, and Learn,\u201d stating that his first priority is to understand the heartbeat of the command and work collaboratively to address challenges.<\/p>\n
The new CAC also highlighted the strategic importance of Apapa Command in Nigeria\u2019s trade facilitation efforts, especially in the context of ongoing ICT reforms. He reaffirmed commitment to key modernization initiatives including the Unified Customs Management System, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), Time Release Study (TRS), and Advanced Ruling (AR).<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Nigeria now chairing the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, we are a country of interest in the global customs community. Let us uphold the principles of compliance and ensure unwavering adherence to all legal frameworks,\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n
Osoba concluded with a call for unity and support, promising to lead with transparency and integrity. \u201cI am here on a mission to sustain the excellent records achieved before my arrival and, by the grace of God, we shall jointly break new grounds to do greater things for Nigeria through Apapa Port.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a farewell address that resonated with pride and gratitude, ACG Olomu highlighted the command\u2019s transformation under his 15-month leadership, crediting teamwork and alignment with the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi\u2019s policy direction.<\/p>\n
Under Olomu\u2019s watch, Apapa Command shattered previous records by achieving its first-ever \u20a62 trillion revenue collection\u2014a feat that earned the command multiple accolades, including the CGC Special Award for Excellence in Revenue Collection and Overall Best Area Controller.<\/p>\n
The command also set new benchmarks in daily revenue collection:
\n– \u20a617.9 billion on June 19, 2024
\n– \u20a618 2024
\n– \u20a618.9 billion on March 14, 2025 <\/p>\n
In August 2025 alone, the command collected \u20a6214.9 billion using the newly introduced B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, despite initial technical challenges. As of September, total revenue for 2025 stands at \u20a61.83 trillion\u201460% of the annual target.<\/p>\n
Apapa Command emerged as a central hub for trade modernization, playing a pivotal role in Nigeria\u2019s historic entry into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In July 2024, the command facilitated Nigeria\u2019s first AfCFTA shipment from Apapa Port, followed by another milestone shipment to Kenya in November.<\/p>\n
Olomu emphasized the command\u2019s commitment to faster cargo clearance, seamless dispute resolution, and compliance promotion across all stakeholders in the trade ecosystem.<\/p>\n
The outgoing CAC reaffirmed the command\u2019s zero-tolerance stance on smuggling. During his tenure, Apapa recorded 75 seizures, including 62 units of 40ft containers and 13 units of 20ft containers. The intercepted items ranged from fake and expired drugs to controlled substances like codeine and tramadol, as well as Indian hemp, used clothing, and wood.<\/p>\n
Olomu\u2019s leadership was marked by an open-door policy and proactive communication with stakeholders. His personal phone line remained accessible for feedback and issue resolution, fostering transparency and trust.<\/p>\n
He also extended heartfelt appreciation to sister agencies including DSS, NDLEA, NAFDAC, SON, Immigration, Police, and others for their unwavering support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has welcomed a new helmsman at its Apapa Command as Comptroller Emmanuel Osoba officially assumed duty, succeeding Assistant Comptroller-General (Dr) Babatunde Olomu, fsi. In a ceremony attended by senior customs officers, terminal heads, stakeholders, and members of the press, Osoba outlined his vision for the command, emphasizing modernization, collaboration, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maritime-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8533"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8534,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8533\/revisions\/8534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}