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PDP lifts suspension on House Minority Leader, 6 others

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Customs surpasses Q1 target, tackles smuggling, boosts trade facilitation measures This is cherry news for those in power, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced that it raked in a princely sum of ₦1.75 trillion in revenue during the first quarter of 2025. This figure, according to NCS, surpassed its quarterly target by ₦106.5 billion and marking a 29.96 per cent increase over Q1 2024. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, at a press briefing held at the Service Headquarters in Abuja. “These results substantiate our effective measures to curb revenue losses while streamlining compliant trade,” Adeniyi stated. “The 29.96 per cent annual increase and steady monthly collections confirm our strategy is working.” According to the CGC, January recorded the highest monthly collection at ₦647.88 billion, exceeding its target by 18.12 per cent and reflecting a 65.77 per cent increase compared to last year. February and March also recorded impressive performances, surpassing their targets and continuing the positive trend. In enforcement, the Service made 298 seizures worth ₦7.7 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV). Items seized included 135,474 bags of rice, 65,819 litres of petroleum products, ₦730 million worth of narcotics, and wildlife products with a DPV of ₦5.6 billion. “From rice to wildlife, these seizures demonstrate our targeted approach,” the CGC said. “We remain committed to refining our enforcement strategies through intelligence-led operations, technological advancement, and strengthened inter-agency cooperation.” The Service also processed 327,928 import declarations—a 5.28 per cent increase over Q1 2024—representing goods with a total mass of nearly five billion kilograms and a CIF value of ₦14.8 trillion. Though export declarations decreased, export volumes surged by 348 per cent, indicating a shift towards bulk shipments. “This data clearly suggests Nigeria’s accelerating move towards bulk commodity exports,” Adeniyi noted, “while maintaining consistent total export value—reflecting both changing trade patterns and improved processing efficiency.” Highlighting key modernisation milestones, the CGC announced the continued roll-out of the locally developed B’Odogwu customs clearance platform and the launch of the Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) Programme, which provides expedited processing and reduced inspections for compliant traders. The Service also launched its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, supporting education, healthcare, and social welfare in communities nationwide. “Customs Cares represents a structured, scalable approach to community development—transforming corporate responsibility into tangible improvements,” the Customs Boss said. On food security, the CGC highlighted the Service’s role in implementing duty waivers on key staples, contributing to lower food prices nationwide. “This combination of current and past exemptions helps explain the steady improvement in food affordability. The benefits of duty relief emerge gradually but accumulate to make food more affordable,” he stated. Despite these achievements, challenges remain. The CGC pointed to exchange rate volatility, 62 recorded changes during the quarter, and ongoing non-compliance issues, particularly smuggling. “We continue to adapt our strategies to combat increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks,” he said. Looking ahead, the CGC reaffirmed the Service’s strategic focus on modernisation and enhanced service delivery. “We’re not just collecting figures—we’re shaping the future of trade and security in Nigeria,” he concluded. “The numbers show we’re delivering.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lifted the suspension on seven Lawmakers who flouted the directives of the Party to emerge as Minority Leaders.

Two factions of the PDP caucus have been in existence since the constitution of the caucuses of the parliament in 2019.

The party had endorsed the Kingsley Chinda-led caucus but Ndudi Elumelu’s faction was recognised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The party, yesterday, lifted the suspension placed on Elumelu and six other lawmakers but insisted that Chinda remained the leader of it caucus in the House.

PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said the National Working Committee (NWC) noted that the lifting of the suspension was based on the recommendations of various committees set up on issues relating to the suspension.

The statement reads: “The party charges the lawmakers to be loyal to the party and obey its directives in line with its constitution and vision of its founding fathers.

“In the same vein, the party maintains that it continues to recognise the PDP caucus of the House of Representatives as led by Kingsley Chinda and charged all members elected on the platform of the party to continue to participate in the activities of the caucus.

“The PDP urges the lawmakers to ensure a stronger and more viable opposition that speaks with one voice in the legislative house.

According to the statement, the members are Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Hon. Wole Oke, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Hon. Anayo Edwin, Hon. Gideon Gwani, Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Hon. Adekoya Addul-Majid.

Responding to the lifting of the suspension, Elumelu (PDP, Delta) said the PDP leadership crisis was over as all issues had been resolved.

“Today, we are happy that the challenges around the leadership of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, which reared its head in our great party, PDP, since July 2019 has been finally laid to rest,” he said.

Meanwhile, the party has approved the conduct of its zonal congresses in the six geo-political zones on Saturday, March 6, 2021.

Ologbondiyan said the party has slated the submission of nomination forms, including aspirants for national ex-officio for on or before February 25, 2021.

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Customs surpasses Q1 target, tackles smuggling, boosts trade facilitation measures This is cherry news for those in power, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced that it raked in a princely sum of ₦1.75 trillion in revenue during the first quarter of 2025. This figure, according to NCS, surpassed its quarterly target by ₦106.5 billion and marking a 29.96 per cent increase over Q1 2024. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, at a press briefing held at the Service Headquarters in Abuja. “These results substantiate our effective measures to curb revenue losses while streamlining compliant trade,” Adeniyi stated. “The 29.96 per cent annual increase and steady monthly collections confirm our strategy is working.” According to the CGC, January recorded the highest monthly collection at ₦647.88 billion, exceeding its target by 18.12 per cent and reflecting a 65.77 per cent increase compared to last year. February and March also recorded impressive performances, surpassing their targets and continuing the positive trend. In enforcement, the Service made 298 seizures worth ₦7.7 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV). Items seized included 135,474 bags of rice, 65,819 litres of petroleum products, ₦730 million worth of narcotics, and wildlife products with a DPV of ₦5.6 billion. “From rice to wildlife, these seizures demonstrate our targeted approach,” the CGC said. “We remain committed to refining our enforcement strategies through intelligence-led operations, technological advancement, and strengthened inter-agency cooperation.” The Service also processed 327,928 import declarations—a 5.28 per cent increase over Q1 2024—representing goods with a total mass of nearly five billion kilograms and a CIF value of ₦14.8 trillion. Though export declarations decreased, export volumes surged by 348 per cent, indicating a shift towards bulk shipments. “This data clearly suggests Nigeria’s accelerating move towards bulk commodity exports,” Adeniyi noted, “while maintaining consistent total export value—reflecting both changing trade patterns and improved processing efficiency.” Highlighting key modernisation milestones, the CGC announced the continued roll-out of the locally developed B’Odogwu customs clearance platform and the launch of the Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) Programme, which provides expedited processing and reduced inspections for compliant traders. The Service also launched its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, supporting education, healthcare, and social welfare in communities nationwide. “Customs Cares represents a structured, scalable approach to community development—transforming corporate responsibility into tangible improvements,” the Customs Boss said. On food security, the CGC highlighted the Service’s role in implementing duty waivers on key staples, contributing to lower food prices nationwide. “This combination of current and past exemptions helps explain the steady improvement in food affordability. The benefits of duty relief emerge gradually but accumulate to make food more affordable,” he stated. Despite these achievements, challenges remain. The CGC pointed to exchange rate volatility, 62 recorded changes during the quarter, and ongoing non-compliance issues, particularly smuggling. “We continue to adapt our strategies to combat increasingly sophisticated smuggling networks,” he said. Looking ahead, the CGC reaffirmed the Service’s strategic focus on modernisation and enhanced service delivery. “We’re not just collecting figures—we’re shaping the future of trade and security in Nigeria,” he concluded. “The numbers show we’re delivering.”

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