Mu’azu Assumes Office as 33rd Apapa Customs Controller, Vows to Sustain Revenue Gains

 Mu’azu Assumes Office as 33rd Apapa Customs Controller, Vows to Sustain Revenue Gains

Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu has assumed office as the 33rd Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area Command, pledging to sustain the command’s record revenue performance while strengthening trade facilitation, enforcement and professionalism.

Mu’azu formally took over from Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba (Rtd) on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during an assumption-of-office and farewell ceremony held at the Auditorium of the Apapa Area Command, Lagos.

The event attracted heads of security and regulatory agencies, representatives of government institutions, terminal operators, shipping and business stakeholders, customs brokers and other partners of the Nigeria Customs Service.

In his inaugural address, Mu’azu described his appointment as a “great honour and privilege,” expressing appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the confidence reposed in him.

He pledged to discharge his responsibilities in line with the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service and the economic interests of the country.

According to him, his administration will be guided by the Comptroller-General’s three strategic pillars of consolidation, collaboration and innovation, with emphasis on revenue integrity, efficient trade facilitation, professionalism and stakeholder engagement.

On revenue collection, the new Apapa Customs boss said all government revenue due must be properly assessed and collected, adding that decisions taken by customs officers must remain transparent and withstand scrutiny.

“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.

Mu’azu also promised to deepen collaboration with importers, exporters, licensed customs agents, shipping companies, terminal operators, port authorities and other government agencies to improve the efficiency of the Apapa port.

Mu’azu Moves Against Cargo Delays

The new Controller warned against avoidable delays in cargo processing, declaring that legitimate cargo should be released promptly once all statutory requirements have been fulfilled.

“Unnecessary human delays in cargo processing otherwise known as Non-Tariff Barriers shall not be tolerated henceforth,” Mu’azu said.

He directed officers to maintain discipline, professionalism, decorum and courtesy in their interactions with members of the trading public.

Mu’azu acknowledged the impressive revenue performance recorded by his predecessor, particularly the command’s record monthly collection of ₦323 billion in July 2026 and a single-day collection of ₦28.102 billion on August 18, 2026.

He described the figures as a major benchmark that his administration would strive to sustain and surpass.

“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.

The new CAC also commended Oshoba’s contributions to enforcement, trade facilitation and the implementation of Customs modernisation initiatives, including B’Odogwu, Advance Ruling, the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, One-Stop Shop and Non-Intrusive Inspection technology.

Oshoba Urges Officers to Sustain Standards

In his farewell address, Oshoba thanked officers and stakeholders of the Apapa Area Command for their support during his tenure, stressing that the achievements recorded under his leadership were the product of collective effort.

“The achievements recorded during my tenure do not belong to one individual. They belong to all of us,” he said.

Oshoba urged officers to maintain the standards established by the command, emphasising discipline, professionalism and excellence.

“Discipline must remain our foundation, professionalism our standard and excellence our aspiration,” he added.

He also called on the officers and stakeholders to extend the same level of cooperation to his successor.

Responding, Mu’azu stressed that the success of the Apapa Area Command would depend on collective commitment from officers and stakeholders.

“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 of an open and constructive relationship anchored on fairness, mutual respect and the national interest.

Mu’azu expressed confidence that the Apapa Area Command would continue to serve as a model for efficient revenue administration, legitimate trade facilitation and professional conduct.

The new Controller assumed office as the command continues to play a critical role in Nigeria’s international trade and revenue administration.