Lagos, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service has announced a significant revenue increase under its Authorised Economic Operator programme, with collections rising from N1.222 trillion before certification to N1.585 trillion after certification, reflecting growth of N362.79 billion.
Okay News reports that the disclosure was contained in a press statement issued on Thursday, February 19, by the National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada. The growth of 29.68 percent covers 51 AEO certified entities as of October 27, 2025. The programme contributed 21.77 percent to the service’s total revenue collection of N7.281 trillion in 2025, while customs duties paid rose by 85.66 percent due to enhanced compliance and increased volumes of legitimate trade.
The AEO Monitoring and Evaluation report showed an average compliance rate of 85.45 percent, with the highest at 100 percent and the lowest at 60 percent. In terms of trade facilitation, participation in the programme reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, representing a 75.60 percent time saving. Company operating costs declined by 57.2 percent, demurrage payments dropped by 90 percent, and overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 percent through digitalisation and risk management.
The service commended companies including Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc for voluntarily remitting over N1 billion into the Federation Account following self-initiated transaction reviews and disclosures. However, the service revealed that a recently certified AEO company was found to have engaged in false declaration of consignments. Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs directed the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in accordance with the AEO Guidelines and the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The AEO programme is a World Customs Organization backed voluntary certification scheme that enhances supply chain security while granting benefits such as faster clearance and fewer inspections for accredited operators. For certified companies, the programme offers expedited customs processing, reduced physical and documentary inspections, lower logistics and demurrage costs, and greater predictability in trade operations. The suspension of a defaulting operator signals that while the programme rewards compliance, it also enforces accountability to protect its integrity.
In August 2025, the service directed all companies under the Fast Track Scheme to migrate to the AEO Programme on or before December 31, 2025. The directive ensures that only firms accredited under the AEO framework will continue to enjoy trade facilitation benefits.
