By Anozie Egole

The Nigeria Customs Service has said that with 159 cases involving 135,474 bags valued at N939m, rice remained the most prevalent commodity seized by the service in the first quarter of 2025.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this in Abuja while briefing journalists on the service’s activities in the first quarter of the year, according to his speech made available to our correspondent.

Adeniyi said aside from rice, petroleum products followed with 61 seizures, totaling 65,819 litres with a duty-paid value of N43m.

“Rice remained the most prevalent seized commodity, with 159 cases involving 135,474 bags valued at N939m. Petroleum products followed with 61 seizures totaling 65,819 liters valued at N43m,” Adeniyi said.

According to him, of particular note were 22 narcotics interceptions valued at N730m, which reflects the service’s intensified focus on combating drug trafficking.

“The service also recorded three high-value wildlife product seizures with a remarkable N5.6bn value, underscoring both the lucrative nature of this illegal trade and our commitment to environmental protection under international conventions,” he said.

The CGC added that other notable seizures included 13 cases of textile fabrics valued at N134m, “five cases of retreaded tires valued at N104m, and pharmaceuticals, one case valued at N17.1m. These comprehensive results demonstrate the service’s vigilance across all categories of prohibited and restricted goods.”

He maintained that the trend of seizures highlights several strategic priorities, stressing that the service pays more attention to intercepting high-volume items like rice and petroleum products through enhanced border surveillance.

“Specialized operations targeting high-value wildlife trafficking, building on existing collaborations with UNODC and other international partners, sustained focus on dangerous narcotics and pharmaceutical smuggling, implementation of advanced non-intrusive inspection technology to improve detection rates,” he said.

According to him, from rice to wildlife, these seizures show the service’s targeted approach, stressing that while the results indicate progress in curbing smuggling activities, the service recognizes the evolving nature of illicit trade.

The CGC vowed that the NCS remains committed to refining its enforcement strategies through intelligence-led operations, technological advancement, and strengthened interagency cooperation to protect national revenue and security.

He stated that within the period under review, the service achieved several significant milestones in its modernization and institutional development agenda.

Adeniyi maintained that the achievements align with the service’s strategic objectives and contribute to its overall mandate.

He said that within the period under review, the service continued to roll out its indigenously developed customs clearance platform, B’Odogwu, expanding its operations to additional customs formations across the country, adding that the expansion has enhanced operational efficiency and improved service delivery to our stakeholders.

The CGC explained that in February, the service officially launched the Authorized Economic Operators Programme, “a World Customs Organization-endorsed initiative that recognises businesses with strong compliance records and security standards. This program provides benefits such as expedited clearance, reduced inspections, and enhanced predictability in customs procedures for qualifying operators.”

Published Date: April 24, 2025