The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it intercepted a total of $2.2 million in undeclared cash across major airports between January and July 2025.
Gatekeepers News Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at the quarterly stakeholders’ engagement on presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables in Abuja. The session had the theme “Leveraging Public Feedback to Drive Excellence in Aviation Services.” Adeniyi was represented by Comptroller Haniel Hadison.
He highlighted several major interceptions, including $193,000 concealed in a carton of yoghurt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on March 20, 2025. He added that officers at the Kano airport recovered $1,154,900 and SR135,900 from a passenger arriving from Saudi Arabia, while $578,000 in falsely declared cash was seized from an inbound passenger from South Africa at the Lagos airport. At Kano alone, foreign currencies worth N653.99 million were intercepted.
Adeniyi said the enforcement of currency declaration laws, along with end-user certificate requirements, has significantly strengthened border security.
He noted that through collaboration with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Customs also seized drones, arms and endangered wildlife products — actions that disrupted criminal networks and protected national interests.
On revenue generation, the CG said the Service collected N3.7 trillion in the first half of the year, with the Lagos Airport Area Command contributing N97.16 billion, a 20.92% increase from the previous year.
He added that Customs seized contraband valued at more than N1.2 billion, including foreign rice, used vehicles and unregistered pharmaceuticals. “Every seizure is a testament to vigilance, teamwork and the unwavering commitment of our officers to protect Nigeria’s aviation corridors,” he said.
Adeniyi also highlighted the impact of modern technology, noting that advanced scanners such as the Orion 928DX have improved threat detection and reduced physical checks, thereby enhancing passenger experience. He said the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) pilot scheme has also cut cargo clearance time from about 168 hours to 43 hours.
Looking ahead, he said the NCS will deepen collaboration with aviation stakeholders to streamline inspections, strengthen security and further facilitate trade.
