The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Hameed Ali, on Tuesday, April 5, said that the service posted a revenue shortfall of N230 billion in the last quarter of 2015.
The NCS Chief made the disclosure during a Consultative Forum between Customs and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) held at the Customs Training School, Ikeja, Lagos.
Ali attributed the shortfall to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, policies, adding that service pleaded for sympathetic consideration by the apex bank to review the policies.
“Customs had also made progress in getting the necessary approval for clearance of a huge backlog of imports.
“Imports in respect of which forms `M’ were opened before the commencement of the CBN foreign exchange restriction of some imported items.
“Importers of such goods could not finalise Customs clearance due to inability to obtain the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).
“Relief has come for such importers as we (Customs) have secured the go- ahead to waive the formalities and allow them to pay duty,’’Ali said.
