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Customs Generates N31.8bn At Lagos Port

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The Tin Can Island Port Customs Command says it generated N31.8 billion in the months of August 2018, higher than N28.6 billion generated in the corresponding period of 2017.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Musa Abdullahi, said this while conducting the Zonal Coordinator Zone “A” Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG), Dahiru Aminu round the projects to be inaugurated on Wednesday in Lagos.
He said that the figure generated increased by N3.24 billion.
The Tide source reports that the zonal coordinator inaugurated One Stop Treatment Area, Staff Canteen and a mini football pitch erected at the command.
According to him, the Tincan Island Port received another boost in terms of infrastructural projects to enhance the operations of the Query & Amendment Department.
He added that an Ultra Modern Canteen and a Mini Sports Pitch was inaugurated to attract maritime stakeholders.
Abdullahi said that the projects became imperative following the need to re-position the command to an enviable height in order to add further impetus to its status as the most user friendly port in the sub-region.
While inaugurating the projects, the zonal coordinator commended the CAC of Tin can command for his thoughtfulness, saying that the facilities would address the incessant complaints of multiplicity of alerts, which hitherto was a recurring decimal.
“As the name connotes, stakeholders are enjoined to take advantage of this, especially for the facilitation of Legitimate Trade”.
“The centre will house Query and Amendment (Q & A), Valuation and CIU for the synchronization and harmonization of trade disputes.
“Management is commending the effort of the controller for embarking on projects with considerable significance to the well being of the officers and men of the command,” Aminu said.
Earlier, the CAC eulogised the management and staff of Seven Up Bottling Company Ltd. for donating a synthetic Mini Pitch as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He noted that it would service the sporting needs of both officers and their esteemed stakeholders.
Abdullahi said the command had also organised a two-day seminar for Association of Nigeria Customs Licence Agents (ANCLA) between Sept. 5 and 6, following their formal request for training on “End User Certificate (EUC) on documentation guideline and requirements.
He emphasized the importance of EUC as a regulatory document and urged importers and their agents to ensure strict compliance with the processes and procedures in the interest of National Security.
Abdullahi harped on the need for stakeholders to build effective partnership by supporting and enforcing the Fiscal Policies of the Federal Government in terms of Trade.
He, however, reiterated his commitment to reward compliant declarants and to sanction complacence.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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