Customs vows to prioritise Nigeria’s export in 2025

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said most of its operations will be automated by 2025 to facilitate trade especially in the export industry.

Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller general, NCS, disclosed this during his remarks at the Ministerial Export Consultation held in Lagos.

Meanwhile exporters present at the event lament numerous challenges hindering the growth of the Nigerian export sector, calling on the federal government through Jumoke Oduwole, minister for Trade and Investment,who was present at the event, to take immediate action to resolve them.

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“I was happy reading the slides where number of challenges were listed and the closest to customs there was scan and there is no way you are talking about customs that you are not talking about scanners and that has been taken onboard

“We have accepted this and I want to promise that by 2025, most of our operations in our ports will be automated including the use of scanners,” Adeniyi said.

Also, Adeniyi made it clear that there will be no more emphasis on imports at the expense of exports and promised the use of scanners from next year.

“I am leading that charge, never are we going to put much emphasis on imports at the expense of exports and in the same accord with all my officers, we now have dedicated commands for exports.

“Never are we going to allow our processes and procedures to constitute impediments to the development of our export. Never are we going to allow corruption and corrupt practices to stand in the way of export development in Nigeria,” he added.

He urged the exporters to collaborate with them in finding solutions rather than escalating challenges that needed to be resolved.

“To all of us, we are more challenged and there are one or two things that we must do. No need for pointing fingers because if you point one finger, the rest goes back to you. For all of us in this service it is a process of introspection that has started and we don’t want to do things the same way again.”

The exporters called for the resuscitation of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG), tax exemption for exporters and the resolution of the repatriation of forex proceeds by exporters.

The also decried issues on rejection of agricultural commodities by destination countries, explaining that most of the challenges came from the use of pesticides by farmers in product preservation.

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They lamented the absence of lack of storage facilities in farming communities as one reason farmers are in a hurry to sell their harvests for peanuts, leaving the middlemen with much gain.

However, they pleaded with the federal government to build storage facilities like warehouses and Silo for proper storage while also encouraging them to look after farmers across states in Nigeria.

The minister who came with heads of parastatals in the ministry, including SON, NEPC, NEXIM and NCS said she organised the forum to afford her and the team, the chance to get firsthand information on what was required to drive and grow the export segment of the economy.

She encouraged the exporters to continue to strive and ensure the growth of the country’s export sector while promising continuous support and to return their discussion, ensuring an enabling environment for export to thrive.