The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday witnessed a change of leadership as Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba formally assumed duty, pledging to sustain and surpass the achievements of his predecessor, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Babatunde Olomu.
At the handover ceremony held at the command’s headquarters in Lagos, Oshoba praised Olomu’s remarkable record in revenue generation and anti-smuggling, describing him as a model of commitment and performance. He promised to lead with transparency, integrity, and innovation, while breaking new frontiers in trade facilitation.
“As a person, I live with a desire to improve on any environment I find myself, and my work period here will not be an exception,” Oshoba said. He urged officers and stakeholders to renew their dedication, noting that collaboration and shared vision were key to sustaining the command’s momentum.
The new Apapa Customs boss revealed that his leadership approach would be guided by the principles of “Look, Listen, and Learn,” emphasising his desire to understand the heartbeat of the command and work collectively with officers and stakeholders to address challenges. “Your ideas, your passion, and your expertise are the foundation on which my service here shall be built,” he added.
Oshoba further underscored the importance of ongoing digital reforms within the Service, including the recently launched B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System. According to him, the new platform, alongside initiatives such as the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, Time Release Study (TRS), and Advanced Ruling (AR), will remain central to his administration’s drive to improve efficiency and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
He also appealed to clearing agents and other stakeholders to uphold compliance with trade regulations, stressing that adherence to legal frameworks on imports, exports, and excise operations was non-negotiable. “No one succeeds alone. I am here to work alongside you, not just as a leader but as a partner in our shared mission,” Oshoba said.
In his valedictory address, ACG Olomu expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for entrusting him with the leadership of the Service’s flagship command. He highlighted the command’s unprecedented achievements during his tenure, including a record revenue collection of N2.3 trillion in 2024 and N1.834 trillion so far in 2025, representing over 60 percent of the year’s N3 trillion target.
Olomu recalled that the command broke multiple daily revenue records, collecting N17.9 billion on June 19, 2024; N18.2 billion in October 2024; and N18.9 billion on March 14, 2025. He disclosed that in August 2025 alone, the command collected N214.9 billion through the B’Odogwu platform despite initial technical challenges.
On enforcement, Olomu noted that the command recorded 75 seizures of contraband, including fake and expired pharmaceutical products. He credited the successes to the dedication of officers and stakeholders’ cooperation, urging them to extend the same support to his successor.
Stakeholders at the ceremony, including the Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam; a member of the ANLCA Board of Trustees, Ademola Mumuney; and Chairman of the Customs Consultative Council, Hakeem Olanrewaju, applauded Olomu’s stewardship and pledged their support to Comptroller Oshoba.
