- To Recruit 1,600 Personnel, Pledges to Exceed N5.079trn Revenue
The Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) will this year, 2024, spend N706.43 billion on consolidating carried-over projects, increasing staff welfare, improving and motivating officers’ performance, and integrating technologies into Customs processes .
This is as it has pledged to utilize part of the budgetary provision of N706.43 billion to surpass its 2024, N5.079 trillion revenue target , as well as recruit 1,600 junior personnel in 2024.
The Comptroller-General of the Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, made this revelation,while presenting the Service’s 2024 budget to the Nigeria Senate Committee on Customs at the National Assembly on February 5, 2024.
Regarding Officers’ welfare, CG Adeniyi mentioned that Officers will be encouraged in various ways to increase efficiency and improve their well-being. He stated that this would be done through awards, promotions, and payment of allowances.
He said the N5.079 , 2024 revenue target of the Customs is 27.75 per cent higher than the target of 2023.
The Customs CG also outlined strategies to achieve the 2024 target, saying it included the implementation of the National Single Window championed by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
He also harped on strategies to standardize Customs processes, port decongestion, collaboration with other agencies for efficiency and competitiveness, anti-smuggling operations, integrating ICT into operations, investing in capacity building, and stakeholder engagement, among others.
The CG likewise emphasized the aspect of support for local production and taking food security seriously,saying, “We intend to grant waivers to vehicle owners to pay duties within a specific time to avoid sanctions and to regularize the importation of vehicles through payment of duties.”
He added, “The service plans to recruit 1,600 personnel in 2024. The low figure is due to the small vacancies we have available. These vacancies are primarily for junior staff who will carry out Customs operations and guard duties. In subsequent years, more recruitment exercises will be carried out.”
Adeniyi however, noted that the Service had a shortfall by 12.62 percent in its 2023 revenue target, attributing the development to concessions in section 99 of the Common External Tariff (CET), import duty exemption certificates, cash crunch, general elections, and other factors affecting revenue generation negatively. He assured of a positive outcome in 2024.
Senator Isa Jibrin, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, applauded the CG for the progress and success he has achieved in his brief tenure in Office, beckoning him to perform better as the house will support him in terms of remuneration and infrastructure to meet up with the 2024 target.
