By ebosele@hotmail.com
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has recorded unprecedented revenue milestones in 2025, achieving its highest monthly and annual collections since the Command’s inception.
In December 2025 alone, the Command generated a historic ₦3,628,485,590.00, marking the highest monthly revenue ever recorded. This exceptional performance has been attributed to the effective rollout of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) initiative by the Comptroller-General of Customs, which enhanced coordination, efficiency and trade facilitation for stakeholders operating along the Seme corridor.
Cumulatively, from January to December 2025, the Command generated a total revenue of ₦15,598,945,794.00, representing a remarkable 117 per cent increase over the ₦7,166,576,397.49 recorded in 2024.
Beyond revenue generation, the Command recorded notable achievements in corporate social responsibility and community engagement. On 11 November 2025, it hosted the launch of the Green Border Initiative, led by the National President of the Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA), Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi. The event featured an empowerment programme during which industrial sewing machines, grinding machines, gas burners with cylinders and start-up grants were distributed to members of the COWA Seme Chapter.
On the same day, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, launched a free medical outreach under the Customs Cares Initiative, providing essential healthcare services to over 1,000 beneficiaries. The programme also included a tree-planting exercise aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.
In line with the Comptroller-General’s directive, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, successfully reduced checkpoints along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor to the two locations approved by the Federal Government. This move significantly eased legitimate trade, reduced delays and contributed to the Command’s outstanding revenue performance.
The Command also sustained robust anti-smuggling operations. In December 2025, seizures included 685 parcels of Cannabis sativa (marijuana), 495 packs of Tramadol, and 2,000 packs of Super Power Sildenafil tablets (300mg)—an excessively high-dosage sexual enhancement drug. These seizures were made through intelligence-led operations, enhanced patrols, risk profiling and inter-agency collaboration.
Comptroller Adenuga warned smugglers that the Seme border is no longer safe for illicit activities, stressing that with advanced intelligence, technology and heightened vigilance, offenders would be intercepted and prosecuted. He advised smugglers to desist immediately or face the full weight of the law.
Conversely, he assured legitimate traders and compliant stakeholders of a safe, conducive and efficiently facilitated Seme corridor, with seamless processes and reduced delays to support genuine cross-border commerce and economic growth.
The Customs Area Controller expressed profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, and the Management of the Service for their unwavering support and leadership. He also thanked officers and men of the Command, stakeholders, sister agencies, military and paramilitary forces, the media, as well as traditional and community leaders for their invaluable contributions, while pledging even greater achievements in 2026.
The statement was signed by SC Tunde Ayagbalo,
Superintendent of Customs and Public Relations Officer,
Seme Area Command.
