Operational reforms, tighter compliance, and Free Trade Zone revival drive record-breaking growth
Nigeria’s maritime and trade ecosystem is witnessing a renewed wave of efficiency as the Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) delivered one of its strongest revenue performances in recent years—collecting N93.9 billion between January and October 2025, a 10.1% rise over the N85.3 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.
In a sector long dogged by leakages, smuggling pressures, and volatile trade flows, the sustained revenue upswing signals a deeper structural shift taking place within customs operations. It also reflects the broader national push toward tightening economic governance, expanding non-oil revenue, and strengthening Nigeria’s trade infrastructure ahead of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) era.
The commendation came from Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, who hailed the command’s “innovation-driven discipline,” describing its performance as a model for modern customs administration.
A Transformation Rooted in Discipline, Technology & Transparent Trade
At an event organised by the Kano/Jigawa Stakeholders’ Forum, the Governor—represented by Commerce Commissioner Shehu Wada-Sagagi—praised Area Controller Dalhatu Abubakar-Zurmi for steering a “courageous and reform-minded tenure.”
The command’s performance was especially remarkable in the Kano Free Trade Zone, where revenue skyrocketed from N2.6 billion in 2024 to N17.7 billion in 2025—a 582.93% increase attributed to stronger oversight and improved trader compliance mechanisms.
This leap, logistics experts say, underscores the untapped potential of Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones as engines for industrialisation, re-export growth, and SME integration into global value chains.
From Resistance to Trust: Inside a Reform Playbook That Worked
Controller Abubakar-Zurmi, reflecting on the journey since assuming duty on February 3, 2025, said early reforms were met with resistance:
“We moved from crisis to trust. We enlightened, sensitised and modernised customs procedures.”
By institutionalising transparent processes and revamping relationships with traders, the command achieved what many consider unprecedented cohesion between customs officers and the business community. Notably, the stakeholders funded the celebration event without financial support from the service—a symbolic nod to renewed mutual confidence.
The Controller also reiterated the command’s uncompromising posture on smuggling:
“To my friends, the smugglers—even if I retire today, if I see you, I will arrest you.”
A Milestone for Nigeria’s Revenue Optimisation Drive
The command’s performance aligns with the NCS’s overarching strategy under the Comptroller-General to:
- modernise customs processes,
- tighten border security,
- close leakages in revenue collection, and
- automate documentation and clearance flows.
Stakeholders at the event labelled Kano/Jigawa’s transformation as “unprecedented,” marking it as the most improved revenue command of 2025.
BRANDECONOMY Insight: Why This Matters for Nigeria’s Trade Future
The Kano/Jigawa breakthrough is more than a revenue story—it is a bellwether for Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global marketplace:
1. Free Trade Zone Boom Signals New Era for Industrial Growth
The FTZ revenue surge demonstrates what is possible when compliance, governance and investor confidence align. It positions Kano as a potential logistics and manufacturing hub for the northern corridor.
2. Revenue Growth Strengthens Fiscal Stability
In an era of reduced oil earnings, Customs remains one of Nigeria’s highest-yielding non-oil revenue sources. Efficient commands ease budgetary pressures and support public finance sustainability.
3. Anti-Smuggling Gains Enhance National Security
Clampdowns have a multi-sector ripple effect—protecting local industries, reducing drug inflow, and stabilising regional value chains.
4. Stakeholder Trust Is the New Competitive Advantage
Transparent, accountable customs operations dramatically improve ease of doing business and boost Nigeria’s attractiveness to international trade partners.
Kano/Jigawa’s performance sets a new benchmark—and other commands will be under pressure to match or exceed its trajectory in 2026.
