The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) collected N1.38 trillion in revenue in July and August 2026, posting strong collections as importers contend with rising costs at Nigerian ports and the service pushes toward an ambitious N11.074 trillion revenue target for the year.
The NCS collected N784.66 billion in July and N595.58 billion in August, according to its National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada. He disclosed the figures on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, during a joint security agencies’ spokespersons’ briefing in Abuja.
The Apapa Area Command recorded N323 billion in revenue in July, its highest monthly collection, before setting a new single-day record of N28.1 billion on August 18. The figure exceeded the previous daily record of N20.1 billion set in September 2025, according to Maiwada.
The revenue performance coincided with increased processing activity. Customs said it processed 90,985 Single Goods Declarations and 8,873 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports during the two months.
Export activity also strengthened. Export container throughput increased 32.27% to 5,510 units, while agricultural exports reached $422.09 million and manufactured-goods exports rose to $350.67 million, according to the NCS.
The stronger Customs collections come as importers complain about the cost of moving cargo through Nigerian ports.
In May 2026, the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) said clearing a 20-foot container at Apapa cost between N14 million and N15 million, while a 40-foot container cost between N19 million and N20 million. The figures were provided by IMAN’s South-West chairman, Joseph Ajoku, and represent the association’s estimate of clearance costs rather than official Customs charges.
IMAN attributed the cost disparity partly to higher port charges and warned that expensive cargo clearance could encourage importers to divert shipments to neighbouring countries.
For businesses dependent on imported goods and raw materials, higher clearance expenses can increase working-capital requirements and ultimately feed into the prices of goods sold to consumers.
The latest collections come as the NCS works toward its N11.074 trillion 2026 revenue target, which was approved by the Senate in July.
The target was presented by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi during the service’s 2026 budget defence. The NCS said the target would be supported by technology deployment, revenue-recovery measures, audits and trade-facilitation reforms.
Customs also reported seizures with a combined Duty Paid Value exceeding N61.3 billion between July and August.
Among the reported operations was the interception of 399 pump-action rifles and 535 firearm components at Tin Can Island Port. The service also reported seizures involving narcotics, controlled goods and other prohibited items.
The latest figures highlight the balancing act facing Nigeria’s trade authorities: Customs must increase revenue and prevent smuggling while ensuring that the cost of using the country’s ports does not undermine the competitiveness of legitimate importers.
For businesses, the measure of reform will ultimately be whether higher collections are accompanied by faster processing, greater predictability and lower overall transaction costs.
