At its coming into being in 1891, Nigeria Customs Service was saddled with the responsibilities of revenue collection, accounting for same and anti smuggling activities.
Today trade facilitation has become a fundamental role, progressively seen by government as an important element of economic policy, with Customs having a unique position within the hub of the international supply chain of goods and services. Consequently, one of the challenges to Nigeria Customs Service is the proactive management of the seeming contradictory role of ensuring improvements in speedy delivery of services, while maintaining systematic and effective intervention controls, necessary to meet the demands of complex and growing international trade, characterized in recent times by economic crime, money laundering, menace of terrorism, threatening weapons of mass destruction, violation of intellectual property rights, and dumping of toxic and hazardous substances.
Customs generally play a pivotal role in the economic life of any country. There is hardly any sector of the economy that is not directly or indirectly affected by the activities of Customs. The functions of the Nigeria Customs Service include, but not limited to the following:
- Collection of Revenue (Import /Excise Duties & other Taxes /Levies) and accounting for same
- Anti-Smuggling activities
- Security functions
- Generating statistics for planning and Budgetary purposes
- Monitoring Foreign Exchange utilisation etc.
- Engaging in Research, Planning and Enforcement of Fiscal Policies of Government
- Manifest processing
- Licensing and registration of Customs Agents
- Registration and designation of collecting banks
- Working in collaboration with other government agencies in all approved ports and border station
Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters
Abidjan Street,
Wuse, P.M.B. 26,
Zone 3,
Abuja – FCT Nigeria