By Boluwatife Oshadiya | July 7, 2026
Key Points
- Senate Committee on Customs and Excise approves ₦11.074 trillion revenue target for the Nigeria Customs Service for 2026
- Lawmakers also endorse the Service’s ₦1.235 trillion expenditure proposal after reviewing its 2026 budget estimates
- Customs exceeded its 2025 revenue target by over ₦674 billion, generating ₦7.277 trillion despite global trade disruptions
Main Story
The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise has approved a ₦11.074 trillion revenue target for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the 2026 fiscal year, while also endorsing the agency’s proposed ₦1.235 trillion expenditure budget, citing confidence in the Service’s ongoing reforms and revenue mobilisation capacity.
The approvals followed the defence of the agency’s 2026 budget by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, before the committee at the National Assembly on Monday.
The committee praised the Customs Service for surpassing its 2025 revenue target despite global economic headwinds, fiscal policy adjustments and disruptions to international trade.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Senator Isah Jibrin, described the proposed revenue target as ambitious but achievable, urging the agency to sustain its reform momentum and strengthen revenue collection.
“I want to appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for extending the service of the Comptroller-General of Customs. Since assuming office, he has embarked on far-reaching reforms that have resulted in improved revenue generation, stronger anti-smuggling operations and better trade facilitation. I believe the additional period granted to him will enable him to fully consolidate these reforms and place the Nigeria Customs Service on a sustainable path,” Jibrin said.
He added that growing federal investment in infrastructure has increased the importance of internally generated revenue, positioning Customs as one of the government’s most strategic revenue-generating institutions.
Presenting the agency’s performance report, Adeniyi disclosed that although the National Assembly approved a ₦6.584 trillion revenue target for 2025, the Service generated ₦7.277 trillion, exceeding the target by ₦674.1 billion, or 10.24 per cent.
According to him, the performance was achieved despite several fiscal and economic challenges, including the suspension of excise duties on telecommunications services, delays in implementing the Green Tax policy, import duty waivers on compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles, as well as the lingering impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on global trade and commodity imports.
The Comptroller-General also revealed that the Service received only ₦808.86 billion, representing 71.46 per cent of its approved ₦1.132 trillion expenditure budget for 2025.
For 2026, the Customs Service projects total revenue of ₦11.074 trillion, comprising ₦5.542 trillion from Federation Account revenue, ₦1.491 trillion from non-Federation collections, ₦2.773 trillion from Import Value Added Tax (VAT), and ₦1.266 trillion from the four per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) cost of collection.
What’s Being Said
Senator Isah Jibrin said the Nigeria Customs Service has demonstrated stronger operational efficiency through reforms that have improved revenue generation, anti-smuggling operations and trade facilitation, adding that the agency must sustain the momentum to achieve its 2026 target.
“The NCS remains one of the biggest revenue-generating agencies in the country. That places enormous responsibility on the Service, and I urge the management to work even harder to achieve its ambitious revenue target for 2026,” the committee chairman said.
Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi thanked President Bola Tinubu for extending his tenure and expressed appreciation to members of the Senate Committee for considering the agency’s budget proposal during their legislative recess.
“We appreciate this sacrifice and do not take it for granted. We have always enjoyed the guidance and support of this distinguished committee and we look forward to sustaining that cordial relationship,” Adeniyi said.
What’s Next
- The 2026 Appropriation Bill will proceed through the remaining stages of legislative consideration before receiving presidential assent.
- The Nigeria Customs Service is expected to intensify digital customs reforms, trade facilitation initiatives and anti-smuggling operations to support its record revenue target.
- Customs’ monthly revenue performance will be closely monitored as the Federal Government seeks to strengthen non-oil revenue amid persistent fiscal pressures.
Bottom Line
The Bottom Line: The Senate’s approval of an unprecedented ₦11.074 trillion revenue target underscores the Federal Government’s growing reliance on non-oil revenue to finance its budget. For the Nigeria Customs Service, sustaining recent reform gains while navigating global trade uncertainties will be critical to meeting what is its most ambitious revenue projection to date.
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