Customs Area Command, Tin Can Island Port of the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) says the Command achieved 62.7 per cent growth in non-oil export in the first quarter of 2022.
The Area Controller, Comptroller Steven Oloyede, attributed the feat to the commitment of the management and entire officers and men of the Command.
Oloyede, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the operational activities of the Command in the first quarter of 2022, said non-oil exports at the Command grew from 44.5 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2021 to 71 metric tonnes, with Free On Board (FOB) value of N56.2billion, in the first quarter of 2022, which represents a growth rate of 62.7per cent.
“In terms of value for the comparative periods, the FOB value in naira rose from N31.4billion in the first quarter of last year to N56.2billion in the period under review, representing an increase of 55.8per cent.
Some of the products exported include copper ingots, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, cocoa beans, rubber, cocoa butter, leather, ginger and frozen shrimps.
Commenting on this feat, the Area Controller disclosed that one of his mandates while being assigned to the Command was to give preference to exports, adding that on resumption of duty, he paid a visit to the Tin Can Port Manager to seek his support and cooperation in his commitment to boost non-oil exports.
He noted that the collaboration towards achieving his export drive strategy has paid off given the astronomic rise in the volume and value of export at the Command.
He also assured that more is being done to boost non-oil export through the Command in line with Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda to check the current over-dependence on crude oil exports for foreign exchange earnings, pledging that the Command would leave no stone unturned in implementing various government’s fiscal policies.
“The Federal Ministry of Finance has recently published the 2022 Fiscal Policy with an effective date of April 1, 2022. However, a grace period of 90 days has been given for the implementation of the new duty and excise rates, which are to take effect from June 1, 2022.
“As much as the service is putting in efforts to make necessary adjustments, we are experiencing minor delays in its full implementation because the system is not designed to be retroactive”, he said.
On challenges, he listed the poor handling of overtime cargo due to non-implementation of existing laws that guide the treatment of such cargo. He also listed the gross shortage of government warehouses that would have provided a temporary storage for the overtime goods.
“Despite our successes, the Command is still facing challenges in the area of treatment of overtime cargo because of the non-implementation of extant laws guiding overtime cargo”, Oloyede said..

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos