Ogun Customs links 266% export growth to anti-smuggling crackdown

Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Ogun I Area Command, has recorded a 266 per cent increase in export value for March 2026, a development it linked to improved trade facilitation and intensified anti-smuggling operations along the Idiroko border corridor.

The update was disclosed in a statement shared on the official page of the Service, with details provided by the Command’s Public Relations Officer Deputy Superintendent of Customs Chado Zakari, on behalf of the Acting Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Olukayode Afeni.

According to the Command, export volume rose significantly to 277.8 metric tonnes with a Free on Board value of $383,100 in March 2026, compared to 20 metric tonnes valued at $104,600 recorded in the same period of 2025.

Afeni attributed the sharp increase to tighter border surveillance, improved operational efficiency, and intelligence driven enforcement strategies aimed at discouraging illegal trade while supporting legitimate exporters.

“Our dual focus on trade facilitation and enforcement has created a more conducive environment for exporters and strengthened confidence in the system,” he said.

He noted that sustained anti smuggling operations have helped reinforce the integrity of export processes across the corridor, adding that such measures are necessary to maintain economic stability.

According to the statement, the Command intercepted 1,202 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil valued at N120.2 million during two separate operations in March 2026, a move it said was aimed at protecting local industries from unfair competition.

Afeni further explained that removing illicit goods from circulation would not only support domestic production but also contribute to job creation within the local economy.

The development comes amid continued enforcement efforts by the Command, which had earlier seized 2,539 kegs of smuggled vegetable oil in March and 2,090 kegs in December 2025.

In a related operation, the Command also handed over 285 sacks of mica stones valued at N104.7 million to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development after intercepting the items during an anti smuggling exercise.

The statement further noted that the Customs boss warned that illegal export of solid minerals remains a threat to national revenue, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among relevant agencies to address the challenge.

Afeni maintained that the Command would continue to sustain the momentum in export growth while keeping a firm stance against smuggling activities across all border points.