The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lilypond Export Command (LEXC) says it processed 405.979 metric tonnes of export with free-on-board value at $979.3 million in third quarter of 2024.
The Customs Area Controller of the command, Ajibola Odusanya, disclosed this on Wednesday at a news conference in Lagos.
Odusanya said that the command also processed 86,783 metric tonnes of export with free-on-board valued at $184.8 million in the second quarter of 2024.
The customs boss said that N5.33 billion was paid into the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) levy account in third quarter of 2024 compared to 640.1 million paid into NESS in second quarter of 2024.
He said that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) on export goods in third quarter stood at N136.0 million compared to N29.6 million DPV in second quarter of 2024.
The LEXC boss noted that the feat was achieved through consolidation, support of the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi, planning, efficient operations and collaboration with stakeholders as well as regulatory agencies.
“A surcharge of N97.2 million was recorded based on the 2.5 per cent levy on the export of previously imported goods, in line with the Federal Government’s 2022 Fiscal Policy.
“Notable increase was recorded on export in third quarter due to consolidation. In the month of September 2024 alone, LEXC processed 3,363 export containers with a total weight of 221,961.53 metric tonnes.
“The total value of exports declared for September amounted to $202.2 million, and the highest contribution came from agricultural commodities.
“Agricultural commodities accounted for $93.7 million, followed by manufactured goods at $65.0 million.
“In addition, the Nigeria Customs Service generated a NESS revenue of N1.4 billion from September’s export activities.
“The command also collected N88.3 million in duties on exports of previously imported goods, based on the provisions of the 2022 Fiscal Policy,” Odusanya said.
The customs controller noted that the value of shipments in the third quarter saw a remarkable increase of 407.05 per cent, from $184.8 million recorded in second quarter of 2024 to $937.3 million recorded in third quarter of 2024.
He attributed the substantial rise to enhanced efficiency, following the consolidation of export seats at the command.
Odusanya said that the tonnage of exported goods also surged by 368.02 per cent from 86,783,93 metric tonnes to 405,979.72 metric tonnes.
According to him, this reflects the significant scaling up of export processing capacity at the LEXC.
He explained that NESS revenue collection recorded an extraordinary growth of 733.22 per cent climbing from N640.1 million in second quarter to N5.3 billion in the third quarter of 2024.
Odusanya stressed that the growth highlighted the positive impact on consolidation of revenue generation through improved tracking and proper documentation of export activities.
He said that the duty paid on exports of previously imported goods increased by 359.12 per cent from N29.6million DPV in second quarter compared to N136.0 million in third quarter of 2024.
Odusanya also linked its success to improved enforcement of customs regulations post-consolidation.
He said that consolidation of export seats at all Lagos ports into Lilypond Export Command had yielded significant gains, reflected in the impressive increases across key export metrics.
“The primary benefit was the elimination of bureaucratic bottlenecks that previously hindered smooth export processes.
“The centralisation of export operations has allowed for faster processing times for export documentation, improved compliance with NCS guidelines and regulations, and a more transparent and traceable export value chain.
“We extend our appreciation to other government regulatory agencies for their collaboration in ensuring an efficient and effective export clearing procedure.
“Their role in aligning with the trade facilitation initiatives of the Nigeria Customs Service has been vital in achieving these results,” Odusanya said.
He commended the Comptroller-General for equipping and motivating officers which made them determined to foster a safe and profitable environment for all categories of exporters.
The customs boss assured stakeholders of its commitment to continuously improve the export value chain, adding that export reform would further enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global market.
