The Tincan Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service reported a noteworthy surge in goods export, reaching N489.2 billion in 2023, marking a substantial increase from the previous year.
Area Comptroller Dera Nnadi disclosed this during a news conference in Lagos, attributing the success to the efforts of the Enforcement and Anti-smuggling Unit, which resulted in 96 detentions and 47 seizures.
Nnadi detailed that the goods exported through Tincan Island Port amounted to 623,694.7 metric tonnes, with a total Free on-board (FOB) value of N489.2 billion. In a FOB agreement, the seller covers the cost of transporting goods to the port and loading them onto the ship. Once loaded, the buyer assumes responsibility for all aspects, including transportation, insurance, and unloading the goods.
“This is an impressive growth with a notable increase of 85.5% in tonnage and 101.9 per cent increase in FOB value when compared to the year 2022,” he said.
He listed the products exported through the command in the year under review to include agricultural products like cocoa and Soya beans, cashew nuts, Sesame seeds, Hibiscus flower, etc.
“Locally manufactured goods like cosmetics, hair attachments, indomie noodles, beverages, cigarettes, and insecticides.
“Mineral resources such as lithium ore, tin ore, fluorite ore, aluminium ingots and lead ingots and others,” he said.
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Discussing the seized items, Nnadi highlighted various illicit goods, including 1,264 packages of hemp weighing 473.50kg valued at N118.4 million, concealed in multiple containers from eight seizures.
Additionally, items such as used clothing, fridges, matches, tomato paste, unregistered pharmaceutical products, bulk charcoal, arms, ammunition, used shoes, used clothing, supermarket items, toilet paper, pharmaceutical and beauty products, water buffalo horns, frozen poultry, basmati rice, household goods, and military wears were detected and seized.
The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these seized items, including narcotics, amounted to N47.4 million, with a total DPV reaching N3.2 billion.
The port also had a significant volume of containers, with 50,297 utilized from January to December 2023, comprising 15,289 20ft containers, 34,557 40ft containers, and 451 45ft containers.
Importantly, 1,430 new vehicles and 434 used ones were imported through the port during this period. In terms of revenue generation, the enforcement unit’s efforts resulted in demand notices totalling N210.8 million.