Border closure: Nigeria Customs rakes in N6b daily

Nigeria rakes in between N5 billion and N6 billion daily from imports since the closure of its land borders with neighbouring countries.

Prior to the closure in August 2019, daily duty collections hovered between N4 billion and N5 billon, said the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos on Tuesday.

The NCS Comptroller-General Col. Hammed Ali (rtd.) attributed the rise to increased activities at the nation’s seaports.

The forum was organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and the support of Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) in Lagos.

The Customs boss, who was represented by the ACG/Zonal Co-ordinator, Zone A, KayCee Ekekezie, also said the border closure had led to a 30 per cent drop in fuel hitherto supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for local consumption.

He added that the sums being realized from the ports would help the Federal Government provide more infrastructures and add fillip to critical sectors of the economy.

Ali also stated that before the border closure, NCS had engaged the customs of neighboring countries severally, drawing their attention to the need to comply with ECOWAS protocols on transit of goods and persons.

The President of LCCI, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, said the border closure has had positive and negative implications for the economy.

On the flip side, she said, the closure has triggered inflationary pressures through rising food prices.She added that food inflation continues to uptrend, hitting a record 14.7 per cent in December 2019, the highest in 20 months.

She said the policy had also led to unplanned losses for manufacturers, especially those who export their products by road.

The Advisor, Borderless Alliance, Mr. Caleb Omoyiola, said the policy had resulted in increased internally generated revenue, rise in consumption of local products and reduction in smuggling.

On the negative side, according to him, is a breach of ECOWAS protocols/rules of integration and free movement of persons, goods and transport within the region.

Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, has said that only President Muhammadu Buhari could determine when the borders would reopen.

Babandede spoke at a news conference on NIS infrastructural projects validation and execution nationwide on in Abuja yesterday.

Babandede emphasised that the visa on arrival policy was not at variance with the border drills, saying that the increase in the number of visas from six to 79 was to enable appropriate endorsement based on request.

He said that it was also to cover wide range of professions, skills, and areas of expertise and a platform for reciprocating in line with diplomatic practices globally. Thenationonlineng