Comptroller Oramalugo Hits an Unprecedented N847.6M Revenue Collection in April, Says, “My Ambition is for Seme Customs to Become Billionaire Revenue Command”
… Beams Searchlight on Abnormalities Associated with ETLS Goods
Comptroller (Dr.) Ben Oramalugo PhD, FCIA, FNIM, CAC, Seme Command, NCS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Border Area Command under the able watch of Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller (Dr.) Ben Oramalugo PhD, FCIA, FNIM, a renowned scholar with highly intimidating academic records, a PhD holder with Three Master Degrees and Harvard University certified, has continued to reap the dividends of quality leadership being exhibited by the CAC, as its revenue collection trajectory has continued to soar since his entrant at the command in February this year.
The erudite scholar, at a press briefing held yesterday, Wednesday 14, 2025, at the command’s ECOWAS building headquarters, disclosed a whooping total revenue collection of N847,580,879.30 for the month of April alone, which has never before been achieved in the history of the command.
Following this feat, Comptroller Oramalugo said, he is not done yet in the present level in the revenue collection mandate of the command, as his ambition is to hit the Billionaire Revenue Generation mark at the most busiest land border of West African sub-region in subsequent months.
The Comptroller also praised the President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu led leadership for giving the service the right man to change the narrative for customs, the present Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, a detribalized Nigerian and customs officer, who aside from fielding right personnel of competence to key positions of the service for efficiency, had also promptly instituted professionalism within the service, introducing several policy reforms that has catapulted the service operations to global recognition, noting that the service has never had it so good.
He applauded the service efforts under CGC Adeniyi on the charge and encouragement endeared to export, a push which Seme Command is part and parcel of as he noted that, “When you export then you have enough revenue to protect the economy of the nation, and this Regime is encouraging this process.”
Comptroller Oramalugo, who said that he is surrounded by quality and non-compromising management who are well discipline and on same page with his measures, said they are determined to plug all available revenue loopholes and continue to collect appropriate duties on all consignments that emanates through the command’s several revenue collecting units.
In some of the challenges that hampers operations at the command, Comptroller Oramalugo frowned at the issue of multiple taxation, especially being orchestrated by Benin Republic, but however pointed, through his complaints in letters to higher authorities, it is being looked into at the Abuja level.
According to him, their Benin counterparts often impose revenue on most consignments that comes on transit through their shores to Nigeria, their final destination, and according the trade laws, it is a misnomer, as only Nigeria is expected to collect revenue on such consignments.
He however said that the issue is beyond the level of Seme Command and that all necessary intervention letters have been sent to Abuja, and it is pertinent to note that it is presently being looked at in conjunction with the federal government.
On the fallout of such action, Comptroller Oramalugo further noted that, aside from making goods more expensive in the Nigerian markets, as the importers would want to recuperate what has been expended, it is also taking its toll on patronage through the command, but said the good thing is that there are ongoing efforts to resolve the issue at higher level, a good development that will positively affect the command.
Historian Oramalugo who pointed out several measures by his led management to ensure that the right thing is done at the command, also told newsmen present at the briefing that the abnormalities being orchestrated through the ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS), others, are as well been vigorously looked into.
He revealed that, they discovered that most consignments branded as ETLS goods are actually importations from different advance countries, especially China, mostly by Nigerian importers some living in the West African region, and they are illicitly rebranded as though ECOWAS Trade goods, in an antic posture to evade appropriate duty payments on them. He however said, they have beamed their searchlight on their activities, and their efforts are yielding fruitful results.
Comptroller Oramalugo who said that the command achieved the above revenue collection feat through commitment and professionalism, generated total revenue of Eight Hundred and Forty-Seven Million, Fifty-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Nine Naira, Thirty Kobo (₦847,058,879.30k) for the month of April 2025 alone.
Some management team
According to him, “This achievement reflects our sustained efforts at ensuring that all revenue leakages are blocked, and every legitimate kobo due to the Federal Government is collected without compromise”.
EXPORT/TRADE FACILITATION
In line with the Federal Government’s agenda on economic diversification through non-oil exports, the CAC revealed that Command facilitated the movement of Two Thousand and Twenty Nine (2,029) trucks, equivalent to over Eight Eight metric tonnes (88,036.15) of made-in-Nigeria goods. These exports had a Free On Board (FOB) value of Sixteen Billion, Nine Hundred Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty One Naira and Ten Kobo (₦16,900,987,331.10k) only. While the National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fees stood at Eighty Four Million, Five Hundred and Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Six Naira and Sixty Six Kobo (₦84,504,936.66k) only.
“This underscores our role as a critical trade enabler and contributor to national economic growth through efficient border management and support to local manufacturers”, Oramalugo said.
The erudite Customs scholar used the opportunity to showcase his authored book he wrote recently, which contained everything about customs. He said, customs stories have often been told by third party that knows nothing about customs, but over the years sing song on corruption, and other negative assertions.
He said it is time to tell the story rightly about the herculean tasks undertaken by the service to salvage many wrong doings in the Nigerian trade polity, as well as its contributions to improve the general wellbeing of Nigerians.
He however urged members of the fourth estate realm to support efforts of NCS, and continue to educate the public rightly, noting that this kind of his books, with several done in the past, will go a long way to positively reshape the thinking of Nigerians on the image of the Service.
During the briefing, the CAC made available 10 copies of the books free for 10 journalists, as he promised to make more copies available.
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