Customs target N1.2tr revenue in 2014

Nigeria Customs Service has set a target of N1.2 trillion as revenue to be generated in 2014 .

Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi disclosed this yesterday during the decoration of newly promoted officers of the service at the Customs headquarters in Abuja.

“I think from today we will start the arithmetic of how we are going to achieve that figure” Dikko said promising difficult times for revenue offenders in 2014.

Speaking on recent developments, he announced that the Nigeria Customs Service has effectively taken over the management of Destination Inspection, a commitment which the federal government promised to transfer to it last year, adding that its implementation has already started smoothly.

“Our ultra modern facility, the Ruling centre has commenced the issuance of Pre-arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) in full swing while Helpdesks have been established to provide support services to importers and agents” he said as part of technological transformations going on in the Customs including the developed NCIS (Nigeria Integrated Custom Information System) which has started working smoothly.

“We want to prove to the federal government we have come of age and we have built the technological competence that can stand the test of time” he added.

The Customs boss also disclosed plans by the Ghanaian customs authorities led by the Comptroller General of Ghanaian customs to partner with Nigerian Customs Service toward learning from what their Nigerian counterparts.

On the restructuring in the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service, following the board meeting last week to consider new measures to strengthen the service, sequel to the voluntary retirement of three Deputy Comptroller Generals, five new Deputy Comptroller Generals were appointed bringing the total number to six, each representing the six geo-political zones of the country.