THE Senate has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to raise its revenue target for 2025 from six to 10 trillion naira, citing the urgent need for enhanced enforcement and surveillance amid rising smuggling and insecurity challenges across the country.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Isah Jibrin, stated this on Monday when the NCS’ Deputy Comptroller General Jibo Bello appeared before the committee for its budget defence.
The tariff policy of the government became the crux of the matter as the committee identified gaps, frowning upon the lack of enforcement of a 4% freight on board (which is the cost of goods) by the service.
Bello disclosed that the Service had been authorised by the Ministry of Finance to halt collection of the 4 per cent freight on board.
The chairman of the committee, therefore, mandated the Minister of Finance, Wale Edu, to appear before it to give explanations on the suspension of the 4 per cent freight on board charges, which they say was an infraction of the law.
The Senate is expected to question the finance minister and key stakeholders at the scheduled appearance on Thursday, as it seeks to ensure accountability, revenue optimisation, and national security enforcement in line with existing legislative frameworks.
