The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, said it has recorded an unprecedented revenue collection of N323bn in July 2026.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Sulaiman Isah, in a statement on Saturday, explained that the revenue is the highest monthly figure ever recorded by the command.

Isah stated that the Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Emmanuel Oshoba, made the disclosure during the monthly meeting with Deputy Comptrollers of Terminals and Unit Heads held last week at the command.

“The landmark performance further underscores the strong results achieved under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Emmanuel Oshoba, who had earlier guided the command to another record haul of N304bn in October 2025,” the statement read in part.

Speaking on the achievement, Oshoba attributed the record collection to the combined impact of policy support, operational reforms and improved compliance across the command.

He specially commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the service management team for their commitment to the ongoing modernisation of the NCS.

“We recognise and acknowledge the CGC’s devotion and dedication to the modernisation project of the NCS. The management team has introduced several innovations that have streamlined our activities and given us clear direction,” he said.

Oshoba noted that the reforms are already delivering measurable results. He highlighted the improved performance of the B’Odogwu system, which had earlier faced challenges but has since been enhanced and is now producing strong outcomes.

He also commended the One-Stop Shop initiative for accelerating cargo delivery time and creating a more predictable business environment that encourages legitimate importation.

“Another important development is the Authorised Economic Operator framework, which currently has more than 200 beneficiaries. This has positively impacted the revenue profile of the Command,” Oshoba added.

According to him, intelligence-driven enforcement operations “have further strengthened compliance where officers and men of the command have intensified interventions that detect false declarations and ensure compliance with the service valuation principles to protect national revenue.”

The CAC also specifically commended the enabling business environment created by President Bola Tinubu, particularly the relative stability in the foreign exchange market.

He explained that a more predictable forex regime has allowed business operators to plan better, make informed decisions and conduct trade with greater confidence while challenging officers to examine their individual contributions beyond routine revenue generation.

“In your area of responsibility, you must ask yourself, apart from the normal revenue generated by your unit, what is your own contribution in terms of intervention? What have I added?” he asked.

Oshoba stressed the continued importance of trade facilitation and ease of doing business, describing the current operating environment as more predictable and conducive to growth.

He directed that disputes should be resolved promptly where consignments require further scrutiny, officers must follow proper documentation and the Post Clearance Audit process.

On stakeholder relations, Oshoba issued a clear directive: “When you interact with stakeholders, let them leave your office with hope rather than despair. As a leader, do not allow anyone who comes to you to depart feeling hopeless or depressed. Give people hope.”

He acknowledged the valuable cooperation of stakeholders and sister agencies, noting that their support has improved compliance and restored greater sanity to the business environment. Officers, he said, must continue to build trust through professionalism, respect and collaboration.

Oshoba further urged personnel to uphold transparency and discipline, work smart, remain up to date with evolving digital processes and consult more experienced colleagues when necessary.

He described effective leadership as a collective responsibility, calling on the Staff Officers to support Deputy Controllers in reinforcing discipline and fostering a healthy work environment rooted in compassion, empathy, teamwork and genuine concern for the welfare of subordinates.

He called for heightened security consciousness, proper supervision, continuous in-house training and full compliance with approved procedures. He charged all units to sustain the current momentum, deepen professional development and remain focused on productivity and service delivery.

While commending officers of the Command and compliant stakeholders for this feat of increased revenue collection, the Area Controller advised them to see the achievement as a stepping stone to further breakthroughs to be achieved as the year 2026 winds down.