The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, Rep. Leke Abejide, revealed on Tuesday that the South West region contributes the majority of revenue generated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). He made this statement during the inauguration of committee members in Abuja.
Abejide explained that the NCS is divided into Zones A, B, and C, with the South West falling into the Zone A category. He noted that most of the revenue comes from Zone A, which comprises Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, and Ogun in the South West region. He highlighted the significance of Lagos, which has the highest seaport among the six.
The committee chairman emphasized the need for oversight in these areas, particularly in approving their budgets. He stressed that the committee would scrutinize the budgets critically to ensure accountability and functionality of the NCS.
Abejide also mentioned the efforts of the committee in the ninth assembly to enhance the functionality of the NCS. He assured that the committee on customs and excise would work diligently to facilitate trade, modernize customs procedures, and create a conducive environment for economic growth.
He highlighted key aspects of the new Customs and Excise Management Act, including a financing model that allows the NCS access to increased revenue and the introduction of a robust e-commerce system. The new act aligns the NCS with global digital trends, promotes rapid revenue generation, and facilitates ease of doing business.
The committee’s focus areas include overseeing the implementation of the new Act, revenue collection and remittance, cost of collection, export processing zones, training institutions, customs and excise laws, and budget estimates.