The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) delivered one of its most impressive performances in recent history in the first three months of 2025, both in terms of revenue generation and enforcement outcomes. Spearheaded by Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, the agency reported a total collection of N1.75 trillion in the first quarter alone an amount that not only beat its internal benchmark by over N106 billion but also represented a nearly 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
This result is no accident. It reflects what many insiders describe as a culmination of years of policy reform, tighter enforcement frameworks, improved compliance measures, and perhaps most crucially, a shift in strategic orientation within the service itself.
According to Adeniyi, this revenue achievement amounts to 106.47 percent of the NCS’s projected target for the quarter. That’s not just a slight overperformance it’s a clear sign that the Service’s reforms are translating into measurable fiscal outcomes. What’s more telling is how consistent the performance has been across the quarter.
In January alone, customs raked in N647.88 billion, surpassing its monthly target by more than 18 percent and showing a year-on-year leap of over 65 percent. February saw collections of N540.11 billion, just slightly above projections, but still almost 20 percent higher than the same period in 2024. March closed the quarter on a high note with N563.52 billion, again exceeding the target and posting double-digit growth compared to last year.
But revenue wasn’t the only area where the service made headlines. Enforcement and compliance efforts also appeared to pay off. During the quarter, NCS recorded 298 seizures of smuggled or prohibited goods, with a duty paid value (DPV) totaling N7.7 billion. This represents a 78 percent jump from the last quarter of 2024. However, it’s worth noting that this figure is about 20 percent lower than Q1 2024, a decline that Adeniyi attributes not to enforcement fatigue, but rather to better compliance levels an indirect win for the Service’s outreach and deterrence efforts.
Among the items most frequently seized were bags of rice, which made up over half of all cases 159 seizures involving more than 135,000 bags valued at just under N1 billion. Petroleum products were next, with over 65,000 litres confiscated across 61 cases. There were also notable interceptions of narcotics, valued at N730 million, and wildlife products worth a staggering N5.65 billion, an area where customs has been collaborating with global agencies to combat trafficking.
The seizures weren’t just limited to the usual suspects. The agency also reported cases involving textile materials, used tyres, and even pharmaceuticals all categories considered either restricted or outright prohibited. The spread of cases illustrates the NCS’s wide operational net and the variety of threats it is actively tackling.
Beyond enforcement, customs operations also moved at scale. The agency processed 327,928 import declarations and handled shipments with a combined weight of 4.91 billion kilograms, valued at N14.81 trillion under CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) terms.
For Adeniyi, the Q1 performance is both a milestone and a motivator. “This isn’t just about beating targets,” he said at a press briefing in Abuja. “It’s a reflection of what happens when institutional reforms meet strategic execution. Our challenge now is to sustain and even surpass this level of performance going forward.”
Indeed, with trade volumes expected to rise and global economic headwinds continuing to shift, the NCS will need to remain nimble. But if Q1 is any indication, the Service appears more than ready for the road ahead.
