The Nigeria Customs and Freight Forwarding Council comes to conclusion over proposed CEMA

Rumours of the Public Hearing on the proposed amendment of the Customs and Excise Management Act, CEMA, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria, CRFFN has commenced moves against the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, over some part of the document that will work against agents if the amended CEMA is passed into law.
The freight forwarders were particularly irked by the section of the proposed CEMA that holds agents responsible for any infraction by importers saying “we only act on behalf of the importers”.

The council ,it was gathered has mobilized the freight forwarding groups in the maritime industry to present a common position on the matter.
Already all the freight forwarding groups, including the Association of Licensed Customs Agents, (ANLCA) have met to galvanize a common position.
At the last stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos, The ANLCA agents told Comptroller General of Customs that they were still studying the document, adding that they could not take any position yet until due consultations were made.

Nigeria Custom Opens Out Auction To The Public

The Nigerian Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Custom Service have come to a conclusion after debating at last meeting which was held yesterday with the Ministry Of Finance for the fate of the impounded vehicles which were seized because they were illegaly brought into the country.

The Comptroller-General of Customs(Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali Rtd) gave a brief speech about the target of the Customs for 2016 Revenue
He also said "That the auction of the impounded vehicles is to raise revenue for the Federal Government and to empower legible citizens of the country,And after coming to this conclusion  Dcg Adesina Bayo(Dcg Tarrif and trade) was appointed to be responsible for the auction.

Further more the auction would go on for three months and to purchase a vehicle your are recommended to go through the legal Procedure,The appointed officer Dcg Adesina Bayo  gave a speech explaining how to purchase "These Vehicles Are First Class Grades and has Never Been Used in Nigeria,this auction is not meant for all the citizens in the country they are for citizens who add values to the country not criminals and to pertake in the auction you can either be a car dealer,clearing agent,auctioneer" He explained further "Car dealers,clearing agent and auctioneer who already have Identity Card are to vist the Nigeria Custom Zonal Office,Seme-Border Cantonment with your identity card.

NIMASA denies opposing Ali becoming chair of customs board

Hameed Ali

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has refuted the news making the rounds in certain sections of the media purporting that it is opposed to the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), also serving as chairman of the Board.

NIMASA in a statement said, “The reports which quoted Mr. Momoh Alhassan, a staff of the agency also stated that NIMASA was pushing to be represented on the Board of the NCS. We want to state categorically that this is not the position of the Agency.

“The event which was held in Lagos and organised by the Nigerian Customs was intended to sensitise stakeholders and garner feedback on the proposed amendment to the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA). Mr. Momoh Alhassan, though a staff of the Agency was merely expressing his opinion in his personal capacity.”

Customs detain vessel with no Bank Bond

Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) Comptroller-General of Customs

A vessel with no bank bond was arrested by the Nigerian customs in Port Harcourt, Rivers for entering the easter terrain with no bank bond

The Officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Eastern Marine Command, Port Harcourt in Rivers, have detained a vessel named `MV Defender V’ for sailing without a valid Bank Bond.The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Usman Bello, who made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said the vessel ``is a patrol vessel from South Africa, used in piloting tanker vessels’’.

The controller said that the 7-man crew vessel, however, had a temporary importation permit but no valid Bank Bond.

He said that the vessel was detained as part of the crack-down by his officers and men on vessel owners who chose to operate in Nigerian waters without Temporary Importation Permit (TIP) and a Valid Bank Bond.

Bello told NAN that the vessel was detained in Onne Port under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Command of the NCS.

``The vessel sailed into Nigerian waters and docked in Onne Port without the necessary valid Bank Bond which is a requirement for ship owners granted Temporary Importation Permit by the Nigeria Customs Service.

``It should be recalled that earlier on, a tanker vessel, `MT African Beauty’ was detained in Warri for a similar offence,’’ NAN quotes the controller as saying.

Customs impound 31 containers of rice at Lagos port

•Col. Ali (rtd)

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 31 containers of rice that was illegally imported into the country.

The items, which the market value was yet to be determined, were seized Friday, at the Tin-Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), Lagos.

Addressing reporters at the venue of the seizure in Lagos Friday, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Col Hameed Ali who was represented by a Deputy Comptroller-General ( DCG) Dan Ugo said the items were shipped into the from China.

The importer, he said, wanted to shortchange the government by declaring the items as yeast in his bill of laden.

Yeast importation, Ali said, attracts five per cent duty, while rice attracts 110 per cent duty and 60 per cent levy.

Nigeria Customs shuts export unit at Lagos Airport

Exporters of perishable goods /vegetables have condemned  the shutting down of the Export Unit at the Lagos international airport by officials of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service.

The exporters alleged that Customs would have acted following a tip off about some unscrupulous Chinese who were exporting donkey skin through Emirates Airline.

Confirming the incident, Captain John Okakpu Chief Executive Officer, ABX World, described the exporters frustrations as unquantifiable, saying they  have already lost millions of Naira following the Customs action.

He said  Customs ought to have carried out a thorough investigation before shutting down all export businesses at the Lagos Airport.

Capt. John said the action negates Federal Government’s agricultural road map which was launched by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Monday.

He said, “We have even contacted the Nigrian Export Promotion Council and they are outraged. This is counter productive. You don’t shut down the whole export unit because some people are suspected to be engaged in illegal business.

Nigeria Customs generate N385.7 billion revenue in 6 months

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it generated N385.7 billion revenue from January to June this year.

This was against the N438.2 billion generated in the same period in 2015.
The NCS Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Monday in Abuja.

Mr. Adeniyi said the service generated N197.7 billion from import duties in cash and generated N203 million from import duty in non-cash receipts as Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC).
He said N21.876 billion was generated from excise duty; N910. 995 million from fees; N41. 418 billion from federation account levies and N49. 357 billion from non-federation accounts levies.
Mr. Adeniyi said the service generated N74. 282 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT) during the period.

He said the decrease of N525.5 million in the revenue generated was due to economic recession.
“Access to foreign exchange and the drastic fall in the value of naira have also affected the service’s revenue generation,” he said.

Nigerian Customs signs MoU with Beninoise counterpart

The Nigeria Customs Service and the Customs of the Republic Benin have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on inter-connectivity and transit facility for prompt access to trade operations of both countries.

This is contained in a communiqué issued after a working session between the two Customs administrations in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

The Memorandum of Understanding that was first signed by both countries in 2015, identified new actions to be taken towards satisfactory implementation of the recommendations from the protocol.

Tin-Can Island Customs generate N130.76bn in 7 months

A statement by the command on Monday in Lagos, said that the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Yusuf Bashar, made the disclosure while exchanging views with some stakeholders in his office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the revenue of the command nose-dived from N145.60 billion recorded in the seven months of 2015.

The controller said that the statutory function of the command remained revenue generation and facilitation of legitimate trade.
Bashar said that deliberate and concerted efforts were being made in terms of strict adherence to the rules and standards of operation.

Customs Intercept 16 Containers Of Tyres Falsely Declared As Paper Board And Machine

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd), has said that the Apapa Customs Command had intercepted 16 containers of tyres, falsely declared as paper board and machine, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N116.2 million.

“The company which imported the tyres is enjoying the facility of fast track, which is given to the factory for quick processes to reduce cost and speed the time,” the Customs boss said on Saturday in an interview with newsmen at the Apapa Customs Command in Lagos State

He added that “Some of those materials can be perishable and this is why customs gives some factories the facility to move their containers and thereafter customs officers will inspect the consignment in their factories.”

He said that all the tyres in the 16 containers were automatically seized and the law allowed customs to prosecute whoever was involved in the importation of the consignment, saying officers found culpable would also be prosecuted along with the clearing agents.

It had been specified in the customs’ laws that seized goods would be destroyed after getting court condemnation, the Comptroller-General said.

“We have 16 containers of new tyres on ground while 10 containers of the tyres with false declaration had been moved out of the port.

“We are now investigating and we will track the whereabouts of those containers. Although, the agents had lost his fasttrack facility and licence automatically,” Ali said.

One suspect Mr Dominic Obijaku was arrested along with the seized containers. The suspect claimed he had no knowledge of what was inside the containers.

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Moves against Fraudulent Importers, Freight Forwarders

Col. Hameed Ali (rtd)

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has vowed to bring to book importers and freight forwarders who are bent on defrauding the federal government.

Specifically, he said importers who abuse the fast track facility meant to enhance trade facilitation and global best practices will face the full weight of the law.
The CGC read the riot act last Friday when he visited Apapa port command of the Nigeria Customs on his way from Cotonou where he embarked on a two-day working visit.

According to him, “We are out on a mission and we get information on matters such as this, we react. I am glad that the Apapa command was able to nip this in the bud. I am here to strengthen the command, commend them for what they are doing and use the opportunity to send a very strong message to our partners who are either importers or freight forwarding agents. Anybody got in this crime will be brought to book. Once you falsely declare and we discover it, it is automatic seizure. Whoever is involved will face the law and if there is any officer that connived with the importer he will be prosecuted and the minimum jail term is five years.”

Customs loses 70 officers in seven months, as Nigeria plans collaboration with Benin

The Nigeria Customs Service has opened collaboration with their counterparts in the Republic of Benin to facilitate trade and resolve bottlenecks affecting transhipment of goods into Cotonou.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Colonel Hameed Ali, said this on the side line of a meeting in Cotonou with that country’s Customs Service in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Ali was in the Republic of Benin with his team.
He said: “Customs is here to see and find solutions to the challenges hindering the smooth operations of Nigerian business operators who engage in inter-border trade and transhipment of goods from Nigeria to Republic of Benin.
“Nigeria Customs had lost 70 Customs officers between January 2016 till date while performing their duties to stop the activities of smuggling of some products such as rice, poultry products, rice and so on.

“We have made it real to visit Benin Customs and discuss on the rudiments hindering our operations.I believe our dialogue will bring out solutions because both countries are interdependent and this why there should be symbolic mutual relationship between them.”
Ali said there was the need for a level playing ground for the Nigeria Customs Service and the Beninoire Customs due to the nature of their operations as well as the law governing the ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme.

Nigeria Customs impounds 24,273 cartons of foreign poultry *Products preserved with chemicals meant for dead bodies.

Impounded foreign poultry

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri has announced the latest seizure of a total of 24,273 cartons of imported frozen poultry products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N256,264,200.

In a press statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, Onuigbo Ifeoma, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu said that the items which were cleverly and deceitfully concealed in a Scania truck with an inscription ‘DHL’ were seized on the Benin axis in Edo State.

Haruna, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the Customs Warehouse in Benin said that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the items impounded stood at N256,264,200 just as three suspects were arrested by the eagle-eyed Customs men on duty in connection with the illegal business.

Customs Defaults May Affect 2016 Budget Revenue Target

The federal government’s plan to raise N4.2trillion ($14.3 billion) revenue set in the 2016 budget from its revenue agencies may not materialise, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has failed to meet the target set for it by the government.

Just like most other government agencies, Source revealed that collections are running behind target at the Nigeria Customs Service.

The NCS averaged N43billion per month in January to April this year, compared with N72billion targets in the 2016 budget.

Analysts believe a combination of squeezed private consumption and foreign exchange rationing is probably to blame and stressed however that Nigerians can expect some relief from the effective devaluation of the naira.

On its part, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) reported collection rates of about 90 per cent for Q2 2016 and 73 per cent for the first and second quarters combined.

BREAKING: Customs reacts as naira crashes to N285/$

Following the new flexible exchange policy to be adopted by the CBN, the naira has switched to N285 to a dollar at the interbank market.

The new policy also means that banks and Bureau De Change (BDC) operators will have to source forex autonomously and sell according to market dynamics.

The interbank rate had run nearly at par with the official at N199 per dollar and N197 per dollar respectively before the pronouncements on the new foreign exchange measure.

The new rate represents about 43.2% increase from N199 to the dollar it previously traded, which according to analysts suggests that the market is gradually adjusting itself to the new direction, although the details are yet to be unfolded.

However, a look on the apex bank official website, www.cbn.gov.ng has shown the naira is still pegged at N197.

Meanwhile, reports that the Nigerian Customs department announced it will begin to use the rate of N285 to the dollar for the calculation of duty on all imports from Wednesday June 1, 2016, has been denied by the Service.