The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it recorded a ₦362.79 billion revenue increase under its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, reflecting a 29.68 per cent growth among certified companies.
According to a statement signed by the Service’s National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Thursday, revenue generated by the 51 AEO-certified entities rose from ₦1.222 trillion before certification to ₦1.585 trillion as of October 27, 2025.
TheFact Daily reports that the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme was formally introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2023 as part of broader customs modernisation reforms aligned with global best practices under the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards. An AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) is a company that has been officially recognised by Customs as a trusted and compliant trader.
Maiwada further disclosed that the scheme also accounted for 21.77 per cent of the NCS’s total revenue collection of ₦7.281 trillion in 2025. Customs duties paid by participating companies increased by 85.66 per cent, attributed to improved compliance and higher volumes of legitimate trade.
An AEO Monitoring and Evaluation report indicated an average compliance rate of 85.45 per cent among certified operators, with performance ranging between 60 and 100 per cent. The evaluation, the Service said, was conducted in line with the World Customs Organization SAFE Framework of Standards and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
On trade facilitation, the NCS disclosed that the AEO Programme reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours — a 75.6 per cent improvement. Company operating costs declined by 57.2 per cent, while demurrage payments dropped by 90 per cent, helping to curb capital flight to foreign port service providers and boost foreign exchange retention.
Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 per cent through digitalisation, simplified procedures and targeted risk management.
The Service also commended several companies — including Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, ROMSON Oil Field Services Ltd, WACOT Limited, Chi Farms Ltd, CORMART Nigeria Ltd, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc — for voluntarily remitting over ₦1 billion into the Federation Account following internal transaction reviews and disclosures.
It described the action as evidence of strengthened post-clearance audit mechanisms and growing voluntary compliance within the trading community.
However, the NCS disclosed that a recently certified AEO company was found to have engaged in false declaration of consignments in breach of programme requirements. Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, ordered the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in line with the relevant guidelines and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The Service reaffirmed that the AEO Programme is anchored on trust, transparency and sustained compliance, stressing that while compliant operators will continue to enjoy expedited clearance and reduced inspections, violations will attract appropriate sanctions.
