Export produce worth $340.8m passed through Apapa port in 2020—Customs

About 262,095 metric tons of goods worth $340.8 million were exported through Apapa port in 2020, this is even as the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Apapa Area 1 Command, has intercepted a total of 265 containers for various infractions during the period under control. 

Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Command, Mohammed Abbah-Kura who disclosed this yesterday at a media briefing said the command also processed a total of 1,311, 365 metric tons of export with Free on Board, FOB, value of $340.8 million for the year ended 2020. The Customs boss said the above is in excess of the total 262,095 metric tons of exports processed in 2019, adding that the export items include steel bars, agricultural and mineral products, amongst others. Abbah-Kura further disclosed that the Command collected the sum of N518 billion between January and December 2020. The figure is over and above the sum of N423.6 billion collected in the corresponding period of 2019 with an increase of N94.3 billion representing 22.3%.

Explaining its anti-smuggling activities for the period under review, Abba-Kura said the Command made a total of 318 seizures with Duty Paid Value, DPV worth N21.2 billion. The figure almost tripled the number of seizures of 2019 which stands at 112, with a DPV of N12.5 billion.

The CAC said the seizures include 133 containers of unregistered pharmaceutical products including tramadol, 58 containers of parboiled rice, 30 containers of vegetable oil, 31containers of used clothing and shoes; and 13 containers of used tyres, among others. “It is instructive to note that these unprecedented achievements were made possible as a result of our officers doggedness and tireless commitment to duties, despite the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging economies all over the world”, he said.