By Steve Agbota
The Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) last week said it exported $641million (equivalent to N245 billion) non-oil commodities through Apapa Port in the preceding year.
Addressing maritime journalists in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Customs Command, Yusuf Malanta Ibrahim, said that sustained trade facilitation strategies put in place had positive impact on export trade through Apapa Port. He disclosed that, in the year under review, the command recorded a boom in the exportation of non-oil commodities with about 110 per cent increase in tonnage above the figure of the year 2020.
He added that statistics from the export unit shows that goods with a total tonnage of about five million, three hundred and eighty metric tons were exported in the year 2021, as against one million, three hundred metric tons exported in 2020.
“The Free on Board (FOB) value for the exported items also rose from $340 million in the year 2020 to $641 million in 2021. The naira equivalent of the exported goods stood at over N245 billion. Items exported include steel bars, agricultural and mineral products, among others,” he added.
According to him, this feat was achieved through the Federal Government policy and export incentives schemes occasioned by the service facilitation and automation of NXP and CCI. “It is instructive to note that these unprecedented achievements were made possible because of our officers/men doggedness and tireless commitment to their duties. “Nonetheless, we have diligently strengthened our risk assessment capacity through forensic system audit and dispute resolution procedures in accordance with World Customs Organization (WCO) standard,” he said.
