The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says its Apapa Area Command collected ₦28.1 billion in a single day, setting a new revenue record for the command.
The command said it collected ₦28,102,000,914.61 on Tuesday, 18 August 2026.
The figure represent a rise of about 39% from the previous daily record of ₦20.16 billion, which the command recorded on 9 September 2025, shortly after Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba became its area controller.
The latest figure was announced by the command on Wednesday.
A sharp rise in revenue
The command also said it collected ₦323 billion in July 2026, describing it as another record monthly performance.
The reported performance follows a strong 2025 for the command. Customs said Apapa generated ₦2.93 trillion in 2025, up 24.32% from ₦2.35 trillion in 2024.
The command attributed the increase partly to the use of its Unified Customs Management System, known as B’Odogwu.
The latest daily collection therefore forms part of a wider effort by Customs to increase government revenue while moving more of its operations online.
Why the record matters
Customs duties are an important source of government revenue.
Under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the Service is responsible for collecting and accounting for customs and excise revenue.
But the law also gives Customs a wider responsibility.
It requires the agency to promote trade facilitation, prevent smuggling, administer trade and fiscal policies and consult traders and industry groups.
That means a rise in revenue is not, by itself, proof that the port is working better.
Importers and exporters also need predictable procedures, faster cargo clearance and reasonable costs.
Delays can increase demurrage and other logistics expenses, which can ultimately feed into the prices paid by consumers.
Trade facilitation remains the testCustoms has repeatedly linked its recent revenue growth to digitalisation.
The B’Odogwu platform went live at Apapa in May 2025, with Customs saying it was designed to improve cargo processing and reduce problems associated with the previous system.
The Service has since expanded its digital reforms, including the Authorised Economic Operator programme and the National Single Window.
Customs reported in February that its AEO programme had generated an additional ₦362.79 billion among 51 certified businesses, while average cargo clearance time for participating operators fell from 168 hours to 41 hours, according to its monitoring report.
The National Single Window, meanwhile, entered its first phase in March 2026.
Customs and other agencies have continued stakeholder training as the system expands.
Businesses still report problems
The revenue gains come against continuing concerns about the efficiency of Apapa Port.
In May, licensed customs agents and other port users told Customs that cargo delays, inconsistent directives and weak coordination among agencies were still affecting operations.
Emeka Chukwumalu, chairman of the Apapa chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, said there was a gap between Customs and clearing agents and called for stronger collaboration.
Importer Gabriel Obi also told The Nation that repeated documentation checks and alerts had increased the cost of moving one of his consignments.
He said transport costs for that cargo rose from about ₦300,000 to ₦800,000 because of delays.
Those concerns matter because higher Customs collections do not automatically translate into lower costs for traders or consumers.
The Nigerian Shippers' Council has also acknowledged operational difficulties linked to the rollout of the National Single Window.
In April, it said delays associated with the new system had affected cargo clearance and led it to seek waivers for affected importers and clearing agents.
What Oshoba said
Comptroller Oshoba said the new record should be viewed as more than a financial milestone.
He said the revenue generated by Customs contributes to government resources used to fund public priorities such as infrastructure, security, education and healthcare.
He dedicated the achievement to the government and people of Nigeria and praised Customs Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the Service's management for supporting automation and operational reforms.
Oshoba also credited compliant importers, exporters, licensed customs agents and other stakeholders for helping the command improve its collections.
He urged businesses to continue using legitimate trade channels and said "every compliant transaction contributes to national development".
The controller also told Customs officers not to become complacent.
He directed them to combine revenue collection with trade facilitation, professionalism and transparency.
He further ordered officers to resolve legitimate disputes promptly and avoid procedures that unnecessarily obstruct lawful businesses.
A bigger revenue picture
Apapa is one of Nigeria's most important trade gateways, so its performance has implications beyond Customs.
A sustained increase in legitimate trade and customs collections could strengthen government revenue at a time when Nigeria is seeking to improve domestic revenue mobilisation.
However, the public benefit will depend on what happens after the money is collected.
The government would need to account for how increased revenue supports its spending priorities, while Customs would need to demonstrate that higher collections do not come at the expense of legitimate businesses facing delays and rising port costs.
That balance is already part of the agency's legal mandate.
The Nigeria Customs Service Act requires the Service to collect revenue while also promoting trade facilitation and consulting stakeholders.
What happens next?
The immediate question is whether the ₦28.1 billion collection can be sustained.A single exceptionally high day does not necessarily indicate a permanent increase in revenue performance.
Collections can vary because of the timing of cargo declarations, duty payments, exchange rates and other factors affecting import and export activity.
The more significant measure will be whether Apapa can maintain higher collections over several months while reducing clearance times and costs for compliant traders.
For now, the command has set another record.
The next test will be whether that record is accompanied by a more efficient and predictable port for the businesses and consumers who depend on it.
