Inside Kirikiri Port: How Customs Is Blocking Expired Imports and Raising ₦147bn in Revenue

Victoria Silvanus

The Kirikiri Lighter Terminal is fighting a growing battle against expired imports, false declarations, and revenue leakage. one that the Nigeria Customs Service says it is beginning to win.

At the centre of this effort is the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Area Command, which in 2025 not only intercepted dangerous and improperly declared goods but also recorded one of its strongest revenue performances in recent years.

During a media briefing in Lagos on January 23, 2026, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller B.L. Adigun, revealed details of enforcement operations that underscore how routine inspections are increasingly becoming a frontline defense for public health and economic protection.

One of the most striking cases involved a 20-foot container (GESU3900612) intercepted during routine cargo examination. Declared as raw materials, the container was discovered to be carrying 440 bags of 25kg expired Triple Pressed Stearic Acid imported from Indonesia.

The material, Customs officials said, had already exceeded its shelf life and was therefore unfit for use. With a Duty Paid Value of ₦36.56 million, the consignment posed not only a regulatory breach but also a potential public health risk if allowed into the production chain.

Customs has begun the process of handing over the container to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a move that highlights growing inter-agency coordination aimed at preventing expired and substandard products from reaching Nigerian markets.

“This is about protecting consumers, industries, and the integrity of the supply chain,” an official explained, noting that expired industrial raw materials can end up in cosmetics, food processing, or pharmaceuticals if not intercepted early.

False Declarations and Hidden Cargo

In another operation at Joliz Terminal, Customs officers intercepted a 40-foot container (MSKU 4798018) that had been declared as zipped luggage. On closer inspection, the container was found to contain empty suitcases—an act Customs described as deliberate false declaration.

The items, valued at ₦5.01 million, were seized, reinforcing what the Command describes as a zero-tolerance policy toward trade infractions. According to Customs, false declaration remains one of the most common tactics used to evade duty payments and bypass regulatory checks.

Beyond seizures, the Command’s financial performance offers insight into the impact of tighter controls. In 2025, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Area Command generated ₦147.21 billion in revenue, exceeding its target of ₦109.44 billion.

This figure marks a sharp increase from the ₦107.18 billion recorded in 2024, translating into a ₦40.03 billion rise and a 35 percent growth year-on-year.

Customs officials attribute the surge to improved enforcement, better cargo profiling, enhanced monitoring, and increased compliance by port users who are adjusting to stricter oversight.

Leadership, Accountability, and Collaboration

Deputy Comptroller Adigun credited the performance to leadership support from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, whose reform-driven agenda, he said, has empowered area commands to act decisively.

He also praised officers of the Command for maintaining professionalism in an environment often challenged by complex trade networks and pressure from vested interests.

Equally important, Customs acknowledged the role of compliant stakeholders, partner agencies, and the media in strengthening transparency and accountability at the ports.

The developments at Kirikiri suggest a broader shift in port operations. one where revenue generation is increasingly linked to compliance and public safety rather than volume alone.

For manufacturers, importers, and consumers, the interception of expired raw materials sends a clear warning: scrutiny at the ports is tightening. 

For government, the rising revenue figures offer reassurance that leakages can be reduced when enforcement is consistent.

As 2026 unfolds, Customs says the focus will remain on blocking illegal imports, protecting national health and security, and ensuring that Nigeria’s ports support, rather than undermine, economic growth.