The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to curb the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country, unveiling plans for intelligence-driven special operations aimed at protecting local investments, preserving jobs, and strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with operators in the vegetable oil industry held at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the Service remained committed to combating smuggling through strategic enforcement, intelligence gathering, and closer collaboration with industry stakeholders. According to him, Customs and operators in the vegetable oil sector share a common objective of safeguarding legitimate businesses, encouraging investment, and supporting economic growth.
He noted that addressing smuggling requires sustained cooperation between government agencies and the private sector, particularly in sectors that contribute significantly to employment generation and national development.
The Customs boss also urged stakeholders to support enforcement efforts by providing credible intelligence on smuggling routes and illicit trade activities.
“Fighting smuggling is a continuous process that requires intelligence, policy support and collaboration. We value constructive engagement with stakeholders and will continue to strengthen our partnership with the private sector,” Adeniyi said.
Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, highlighted the Service’s achievements in curbing the illegal importation of vegetable oil products.
Bomodi disclosed that Customs recorded 65 seizures of vegetable oil products in 2025 and an additional 23 seizures in 2026, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of approximately N1.314 billion.
“We recorded about 65 seizures of vegetable oil products in 2025 and another 23 seizures in 2026, with a combined Duty Paid Value of approximately N1.314 billion,” he said.
He added that many of the seizures were made along major smuggling corridors, including Seme Border and Idiroko Border, noting that surveillance would be intensified in other identified vulnerable locations.
Leading the industry delegation, Fatai Afolabi, commended the Customs Service for creating a platform for dialogue while stressing the need for stronger action against vegetable oil smuggling.
Afolabi warned that the illegal importation of vegetable oil undermines local production, discourages investment, and threatens thousands of jobs across the value chain.
The renewed anti-smuggling campaign forms part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader efforts to protect domestic industries, enhance revenue generation, and create a more conducive environment for local manufacturers and investors.
