Customs Zonal A Coordinator Visits Seme Command To Boost Operational Efficiency, Revenue

The Customs Area Controller of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Ben Oramalugo PhD, today received the Zonal Coordinator of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone A Lagos, Assistant Comptroller General Charles Orbih, during a working visit to the Seme Area Command at the ECOWAS Joint Border Post, Seme-Krake.

This was contained in a statement by Customs Public Relations Officer, Seme Area Command,Chief Superintendent of Customs, Isah Sulaiman, on Wednesday 25 June 2025.

The visit aimed to assess the Command’s operations, engage with officers, and align strategic goals across Zone A. Comptroller Oramalugo welcomed ACG Orbih and his team, describing the visit as a morale booster and a reaffirmation of the leadership’s commitment to operational excellence and oversight.

Between January and May 2025, the Seme Command generated over ₦3.57 billion in revenue and facilitated export consignments totaling 220,300 metric tonnes valued at ₦47 billion Free on Board (FOB). The Command also recorded anti-smuggling seizures worth ₦889 million, including expired pharmaceuticals, marijuana, and corrosive mercury, which were handed over to security agencies for further investigation.

Comptroller Oramalugo highlighted ongoing challenges such as a seven-year power outage, poor road infrastructure, non-functional scanning equipment, and border porosity. He emphasized advocacy efforts for infrastructure upgrades, deployment of modern surveillance tools, and enhanced collaboration with security agencies and local communities.

In his remarks, ACG Charles Orbih praised the Seme Command’s leadership for infrastructural projects including the renovation of the COWA building, sports complex upgrades, and the commissioning of the officers’ mess. He linked these achievements to the vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, focusing on Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation.

ACG Orbih noted that Zone A contributed 79.8% of the NCS’s ₦1.3 trillion revenue in the first quarter of 2025. He highlighted modernization initiatives such as the Advance Ruling System, Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programme, and the indigenous B’Odogwu Customs Clearance platform.

The Service’s 2025 operational strategy centers on seven strategic focus areas, including trade modernization, enhanced risk management, operationalizing the NCS University, strengthening international partnerships under AfCFTA, implementing robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and promoting transparency and stakeholder engagement.

Concluding the visit, ACG Orbih urged officers to uphold professionalism, integrity, and innovation, raising the bar for Zone A’s future performance. “Our previous achievements should serve as stepping stones rather than resting points,” he said, expressing confidence that the Seme Command and other units would surpass current successes in service to the nation.