Federal Government Granted ₦34tn in Import Duty Waivers in 2025, Says Customs Boss

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, has revealed that the Federal Government approved ₦34 trillion in Import Duty Exemption Certificates (IDECs) in 2025, cautioning that these extensive fiscal incentives have significantly impacted the agency’s ability to generate revenue.

Speaking during an investigative hearing held by the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja, the Customs chief explained that while the agency remains a primary driver of national revenue, its collection capacity has been heavily constrained by government-approved duty waivers and policy interventions. He noted that the IDEC policy, introduced in March 2020, remains one of the most significant factors affecting Customs’ financial performance.

According to Adeniyi, approximately 60 percent of the ₦34 trillion in approved waivers was directed toward the procurement of military hardware to address the nation’s prevailing security challenges. The remaining concessions covered key socio-economic sectors, including the importation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) systems, electric and hybrid vehicles, healthcare and medical supplies, industrial machinery, and national food intervention programmes.

While acknowledging that fiscal policies and waivers serve broader social and economic goals beyond immediate revenue generation, Adeniyi urged the Federal Government to establish stronger monitoring frameworks. He emphasized that rigorous oversight is necessary to ensure that beneficiaries of these waivers deliver tangible public benefits, such as reduced commodity prices and increased industrial output.

The disclosure came as the Customs Service reported generating ₦4.5 trillion as of June 30 against its 2026 fiscal year revenue target of ₦11.04 trillion, leaving roughly ₦7 trillion to be realized in the remaining months.

The Senate hearing also highlighted ongoing friction regarding unremitted operating surpluses. The Fiscal Responsibility Commission alleged that the Nigeria Customs Service owes an outstanding liability of ₦8.9 billion from 2019 a claim Customs officials rejected. Additionally, the commission accused the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of failing to remit ₦13.9 billion in operating surpluses between 2023 and 2025. In response, the Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, stated that the agency has been systematically clearing its outstanding obligations.

In light of these disclosures, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, directed the CAC, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, and the committee’s secretariat to reconcile their financial records within two weeks. Musa also issued a stern warning to the heads of several absent agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), warning of severe sanctions if they fail to appear at the next scheduled session.