Customs Intercepts 56 Containers Worth N5.53bn, Moves to Shield Local Producers

By Stella Okocha 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 56 containers of prohibited and improperly imported goods valued at N5.53 billion in duty-paid terms, as the Service stepped up enforcement measures aimed at protecting Nigerian farmers, manufacturers and other domestic producers from unfair competition.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the seizures on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, during a briefing with journalists at the Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, Rivers State.

Adeniyi said the interceptions were the outcome of intelligence-driven and risk-based operations targeted at preventing prohibited, restricted and falsely or improperly declared consignments from entering the Nigerian market.

According to him, allowing such goods into the country could weaken domestic production, distort competition and undermine investment across key sectors of the economy.

“The intervention formed part of intelligence-driven and risk-based operations aimed at preventing prohibited, restricted and improperly declared consignments from entering the Nigerian market, thereby crippling the overall productivity of our local businesses,” Adeniyi said.

The Customs chief warned that unchecked importation of goods capable of being produced or processed locally could expose Nigerian farmers and manufacturers to unfair competition while reducing demand for locally produced goods.

He said the consequences were particularly significant for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, where sustained import pressure could undermine efforts to strengthen local industries, improve food security, generate employment and diversify the economy.

Adeniyi disclosed that the seized consignments comprised 45 20-foot containers of foreign vegetable oil, nine 40-foot containers of used clothing and two 20-foot containers of Channy tomato paste.

He said the interception was consistent with the Federal Government’s broader economic policy of encouraging local production and promoting made-in-Nigeria goods.

The Comptroller-General maintained that Customs would continue to deploy intelligence gathering, risk profiling and targeted examination to prevent prohibited and improperly declared consignments from entering the country while ensuring that legitimate trade is not unnecessarily disrupted.

Adeniyi stressed that the Service’s enforcement activities were not intended to frustrate compliant businesses but to maintain a fair, secure and predictable trading environment.

“Customs enforcement was not designed to frustrate legitimate businesses,” he said, explaining that the risk-based approach enables officers to facilitate legitimate cargo while subjecting consignments considered high-risk to enhanced scrutiny.

He said the approach was necessary to balance trade facilitation with enforcement, particularly where attempts to circumvent import controls could harm compliant businesses and domestic producers.

The Customs boss advised importers to establish the admissibility of their intended consignments before entering into import transactions.

He also urged traders to ensure that their declarations accurately reflect the description, quantity, value, origin and tariff classification of imported goods.

According to him, accurate declarations would reduce avoidable delays and enable Customs to process compliant consignments more efficiently.

Adeniyi commended the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Alkali, and officers of the Port Harcourt II Area Command for the seizures.

He reiterated the NCS commitment to intelligence-led enforcement while facilitating legitimate trade and protecting Nigeria’s domestic economic interests.

The latest interceptions highlight the growing emphasis on import-control enforcement as the Federal Government seeks to strengthen domestic value chains, support local manufacturing and agriculture, and encourage greater reliance on locally produced goods.