By Peter Dansu The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it generated an impressive ₦1.5 billion in re...
By Peter Dansu
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it generated an impressive ₦1.5 billion in revenue last month. However, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, the Area Controller, has expressed concern over the growing number of security checkpoints along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway, describing them as a major hindrance to trade facilitation and economic growth.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, to the Command on Wednesday, Adenuga lamented that the Lagos–Badagry corridor has become congested with numerous checkpoints mounted by different security agencies. He warned that the situation not only discourages legitimate businesses but also contributes to the rising cost of goods, report culled from Radio Nigeria detailed
According to him, only two checkpoints, located at Gbaji and Agbara, are officially recognized by Customs management. Others, he said, are unauthorized and counterproductive to the federal government’s drive for ease of doing business.
Highlighting the Command’s recent performance, Adenuga disclosed that the ₦1.5 billion revenue represented a 182 percent increase and projected that the Command could hit ₦2 billion by the end of October.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to improving revenue generation, combating smuggling, and sensitizing stakeholders on how multiple security points affect trade flow across the corridor.
Adenuga also described the NUJ’s visit as timely and encouraging, saying such engagements foster transparency, accountability, and collaboration between Customs and the media. He further noted that beyond trade, the Badagry axis holds vast untapped potential in tourism and cross-border cooperation that could significantly boost national revenue.
In his remarks, the Chairman of NUJ Lagos Council, Comrade Adeleye Ajayi, commended officers of the Seme Command for their professionalism and dedication despite the operational challenges along the route.
Ajayi called for urgent government intervention to address the issue of multiple checkpoints, warning that the practice undermines trade facilitation and investor confidence. He also praised the Command’s efforts in accurate valuation, proper documentation, and collaboration with other security agencies, measures he said have helped reduce smuggling, illicit trade, and other transnational crimes.
Credit: Radio Nigeria
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