New Dawn at Apapa Customs: Comptroller Mu’azu Takes Over as 33rd CAC, Vows to Sustain Oshoba’s N323bn Revenue Legacy, Crush Non-Tariff
New Dawn at Apapa Customs: Comptroller Mu’azu Takes Over as 33rd CAC, Vows to Sustain Oshoba’s N323bn Revenue Legacy, Crush Non-Tariff Barriers
By Success Okezie
The mantle of leadership at Nigeria’s premier port, the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, has formally changed hands as Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu assumed duty as the 33rd Customs Area Controller (CAC).
Comptroller Mu’azu took over from the retired Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba at a colourful handing-over and farewell ceremony held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at the Auditorium of the Apapa Area Command.
The event attracted heads of security and regulatory agencies, representatives of government agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, customs brokers, freight forwarders and other critical stakeholders of the maritime industry who came to bid farewell to Oshoba and welcome Mu’azu.
In his inaugural address, Comptroller Mu’azu described his appointment to lead the nation’s flagship Command as “a great honour and privilege” and expressed profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD, for the confidence reposed in him.
“I accept this responsibility with a deep sense of duty and a firm commitment to the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service and the economic interest of our dear nation,” Mu’azu declared.
He said his administration would be anchored on the three strategic pillars of the Comptroller-General – Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation – with particular focus on revenue integrity, efficient trade facilitation, professionalism and robust stakeholder engagement.
On revenue, the new CAC was emphatic: “Every revenue due to government must be properly assessed and collected, and every decision taken by our officers must be capable of standing the test of scrutiny over time.”
He assured importers, exporters, licensed customs agents, shipping companies, terminal operators and partner government agencies of deeper collaboration, stressing that the Service is committed to making Apapa Port more efficient, competitive and responsive to legitimate trade.
Comptroller Mu’azu also declared a war against deliberate bureaucratic bottlenecks, warning that his administration would not tolerate artificial delays.
“Unnecessary human delays in cargo processing otherwise known as Non-Tariff Barriers shall not be tolerated henceforth,” he warned, adding that where all statutory requirements have been met, legitimate cargo must be allowed to move without avoidable obstruction.
He charged officers of the Command to uphold discipline, professionalism, decorum and courtesy in their dealings with the trading public.
The new Controller acknowledged the daunting task ahead, especially following the record-breaking achievements of his predecessor. Under Comptroller Oshoba, Apapa Command achieved a historic monthly revenue collection of N323 billion in July 2026 and a record single-day collection of N28.102 billion on August 18, 2026.
“This is indeed a record to reckon with and strive towards matching same. It is therefore a Herculean task upon myself and my team to match and surpass such a record,” Mu’azu admitted.
He commended Oshoba’s contributions to enforcement, trade facilitation and the implementation of the Service’s modernisation initiatives, including B’Odogwu, Advance Ruling, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, One-Stop Shop and Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology.
In his farewell address, Comptroller Oshoba (Rtd) had noted that the Advance Ruling initiative “provides legitimate traders with greater predictability and clarity on Customs treatment before importation, thereby reducing uncertainty and strengthening confidence in the trading environment.”
Oshoba expressed appreciation to officers and stakeholders for their support, saying: “The achievements recorded during my tenure do not belong to one individual. They belong to all of us.”
He charged officers to sustain the Command’s high standards, stating that “Discipline must remain our foundation, professionalism our standard and excellence our aspiration,” while urging them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.
In his closing remarks, Comptroller Mu’azu called for collective effort, saying: “The success we seek cannot be achieved by the CAC alone. It requires our collective efforts, operational integrity and willingness to uphold the standards of the Service.”
He assured stakeholders of an open, fair and constructive relationship founded on mutual respect and national interest, expressing confidence that Apapa Area Command would continue to serve as a model of efficient revenue administration and professional conduct.
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