By peterside Rejoice
The Senate has approved a significant upward review of the 2025 revenue target for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), increasing it from the earlier proposed N6.584 trillion to a new benchmark of N10 trillion. This decision comes in recognition of the agency’s remarkable revenue performance in the 2024 fiscal year.
The adjustment was made during the 2025 budget defence session of the NCS before the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, chaired by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), who praised the Service for surpassing its 2024 target of N5.079 trillion by more than a trillion naira.
According to Senator Jibrin, the Customs Service demonstrated a strong capacity for revenue generation and deserved an expanded target to reflect its growing efficiency and contribution to the national economy.
“The Committee is impressed with your performance in 2024. You exceeded your target by over a trillion naira, and this is commendable,” Senator Jibrin stated during the budget session. “It shows that the Nigeria Customs Service has the capacity to do more. As a result, we have agreed to raise the 2025 revenue target to N10 trillion.”
He further confirmed that the Committee had unanimously approved the Service’s proposed 2025 expenditure framework of N1.132 trillion. The final figures for both revenue and expenditure will be presented to the full Senate when plenary resumes on Tuesday, June 24, following the Sallah break.
However, Senator Jibrin emphasized that revenue generation alone is not enough. He charged the Customs Service to intensify efforts to combat smuggling and the influx of illicit drugs across the nation’s borders, warning that these challenges pose serious threats to national security.
“There is a high prevalence of illicit drugs in circulation, which is fuelling criminal activities like banditry,” he said. “Many of the criminals terrorizing the country are under the influence of drugs.
Customs must rise to its responsibility not just as a revenue-generating agency, but as a front-line institution in the fight against smuggling and drug trafficking.”
The senator also decried the continued importation of goods that can be produced locally, urging the Customs Service to be more vigilant and supportive of federal efforts to promote local production.
“The President has consistently urged Nigerians to consume what we produce. It is not acceptable that items that can be manufactured here are still being brought in illegally,” Jibrin noted. “We must reduce importation to only essential goods.”
He further stressed that protecting local industries would help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign exchange, ease pressure on the naira, and stimulate job creation.
“Supporting domestic production will boost our economy, create employment, and encourage the use of local raw materials,” Jibrin added.
The Senate’s decision to raise the Customs’ revenue target is in line with ongoing efforts to increase non-oil revenue and strengthen border security.
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