The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that its support for the Federal Government’s Food Security Initiatives helped reduce food prices by between 12% and 18% in the first quarter of 2025.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja, highlighting how the Service’s policy interventions played a role in easing the burden of food costs for Nigerians.
“In line with the Federal Government’s efforts to address food security challenges, the Service implemented exemptions on the importation of essential food items like maize, rice, and sorghum,” Adeniyi said. “The NCS’s duty exemptions on food imports have contributed to recent reductions in food prices, with effects seen both immediately and over time.”
According to him, the Q1 2025 waivers—₦45.3 billion FOB value for maize, ₦751.6 million for rice, and ₦2.3 billion for sorghum—significantly supported the observed price drops.
He also noted that prior exemptions in 2024, including ₦45.9 billion FOB for rice and ₦2.8 billion for wheat, are now showing their full impact across the supply chain.
“This combination of current and past exemptions helps explain the steady improvement in food affordability,” he added.
Beyond food security efforts, the CGC outlined several operational achievements of the Service in the first quarter of 2025. Revenue collection reached ₦1.75 trillion, exceeding the quarterly target by ₦106.5 billion and marking a 29.96% increase from the ₦1.35 trillion collected in Q1 2024.
“The Service’s revenue collection for Q1 2025 totaled One Trillion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-One Billion, Five Hundred and Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Five Kobo,” he stated. “We achieved 106.47% of our quarterly projection.”
Adeniyi also reported a 78.41% rise in anti-smuggling seizures compared to Q4 2024, with 298 seizures valued at ₦7.69 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV). However, compared to Q1 2024, the DPV decreased by 19.70%, which he attributed to better compliance resulting from stakeholder engagement and enforcement.
Trade facilitation also remained a key focus. “During the first quarter of 2025, the Service processed a total of 327,928 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) for imports,” Adeniyi noted.
This reflects a 5.28% year-on-year increase in import transactions and a 40.14% surge in the volume of goods processed. The CIF value of imports also rose by 26.72%, indicating a shift toward higher-value goods.
“The total trade value handled by the Service in Q1 2025 amounted to ₦36.3 trillion, demonstrating Nigeria’s substantial participation in international trade despite global economic challenges,” he said.
Looking ahead, the NCS chief emphasized the Service’s modernization drive, including tech upgrades and system reforms to enhance efficiency.
“This includes the further expansion of the B’Odogwu platform, implementation of advanced risk management systems, and integration of emerging technologies into our operations.
“We remain committed to delivering quality services to all our stakeholders, with emphasis on efficiency, transparency, and professionalism,” he said.
Adeniyi concluded by reaffirming the Service’s strategic vision of becoming a fully modernized customs administration—one that secures borders, facilitates legitimate trade, and drives national development.
