Joyce Mmereole Okoli
Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu has assumed duty as the 33rd Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), pledging to consolidate the Command’s achievements in revenue generation, trade facilitation, enforcement and professionalism.
Mu’azu took over the leadership of the nation’s premier port Customs Command on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at a ceremony attended by heads of security and regulatory agencies, government officials, terminal operators, shipping companies, customs brokers and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the assumption-of-office ceremony, Mu’azu described his appointment as a “great honour and privilege,” thanking the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the confidence reposed in him.
He said his administration would align its policies with the three strategic pillars of the Comptroller-General—consolidation, collaboration and innovation—while placing priority on revenue integrity, trade facilitation, professionalism and stakeholder engagement.
“I accept this responsibility with a deep sense of duty and a firm commitment to the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service and the economic interest of our dear nation,” Mu’azu said.
The new CAC, however, made it clear that his administration would have zero tolerance for unnecessary delays in cargo clearance.
“Unnecessary human delays in cargo processing otherwise known as Non-Tariff Barriers shall not be tolerated henceforth,” he declared.
According to him, once importers and other legitimate traders have fulfilled all statutory requirements, their cargoes must be released without avoidable obstruction.
He also directed Customs officers to maintain discipline, professionalism, decorum and courtesy in their dealings with members of the trading public.
On revenue, Mu’azu said every revenue due to government must be properly assessed and collected, adding that decisions taken by officers must remain transparent and defensible.
“Every revenue due to government must be properly assessed and collected, and every decision taken by our officers must be capable of standing the test of scrutiny over time,” he said.
The new Controller also promised to strengthen collaboration with importers, exporters, licensed customs agents, shipping companies, terminal operators, port authorities and other government agencies to make Apapa Port more efficient and responsive to legitimate trade.
Mu’azu acknowledged the impressive revenue performance recorded by his predecessor, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, particularly the Command’s record-breaking collections.
Under Oshoba, Apapa Customs recorded a historic ₦323 billion monthly collection in July 2026, while a record ₦28.102 billion was collected in a single day on August 18, 2026.
Describing the feat as a major benchmark, Mu’azu said sustaining and surpassing the record would be a major task for his administration.
“This is indeed a record to reckon with and strive towards matching same. It is therefore a Herculean task upon myself and my team to match and surpass such a record,” he said.
He also commended Oshoba for his contributions to enforcement, trade facilitation and the implementation of key modernisation initiatives, including B’Odogwu, Advance Ruling, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, One-Stop Shop and Non-Intrusive Inspection technology.
Oshoba, in his farewell address, said the achievements recorded during his tenure were the collective efforts of the Command’s officers and stakeholders.
“The achievements recorded during my tenure do not belong to one individual. They belong to all of us,” he said.
He urged officers to maintain the standards established during his tenure, stressing that discipline and professionalism must remain the foundation of the Command.
“Discipline must remain our foundation, professionalism our standard and excellence our aspiration,” Oshoba said.
He also appealed to officers and stakeholders to extend the same cooperation and support to his successor.
Responding, Mu’azu stressed that the task of taking Apapa Customs to greater heights could not be achieved by the CAC alone.
“The success we seek cannot be achieved by the CAC alone. It requires our collective efforts, operational integrity and willingness to uphold the standards of the Service,” he said.
He assured stakeholders that his administration would maintain an open and constructive relationship anchored on fairness, mutual respect and the national interest.
With the change of leadership, Mu’azu said the Apapa Area Command would continue to pursue excellence in revenue administration, legitimate trade facilitation, enforcement and professional conduct.
The ceremony also featured goodwill messages from representatives of security and regulatory agencies, government institutions, terminal operators, shipping companies, customs brokers and other stakeholders, who commended the outgoing Controller and welcomed the new leadership.