FG Granted N34tn in Import Duty Waivers in 2025, Says Customs Boss

By Victor Idajili

The Federal Government approved N34 trillion worth of Import Duty Exemption Certificates (IDECs) in 2025, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, has disclosed.

Adeniyi told the Senate Committee on Finance on Monday in Abuja that the huge waivers have significantly cut into Customs’ revenue-generating capacity, even though the agency remains one of the country’s top revenue earners.

He was speaking during an investigative hearing with revenue-generating agencies.

According to Adeniyi, the surge in IDEC approvals began after the policy was introduced in March 2020.

He said about 60% of the N34tn waivers in 2025 were for military hardware, granted because of Nigeria’s security challenges and exempted from duties.

Other major categories include:
CNG, electric and hybrid vehicles.
Healthcare equipment and medical supplies 
Industrial machinery and manufacturing inputs
Food import intervention programmes

The Customs boss noted that while waivers reduce revenue, they also serve broader economic and social goals.  
“Fiscal policy should not be assessed only by revenue generation,” he said. “Waivers help with security, industry, healthcare and food security.”

He, however, urged government to strengthen monitoring to ensure beneficiaries actually deliver lower prices, more industrial output and better access to healthcare.

 
Adeniyi told lawmakers that Customs had collected N4.5 trillion as of June 30, 2026 out of its N11.04 trillion target for the year.  
That leaves about N7 trillion to be raised before year-end.

 
The hearing also exposed disagreements over operating surpluses.

The Fiscal Responsibility Commission, represented by Deputy Director Bello Gulmare, alleged that Customs still owes N8.9 billion in unremitted operating surplus dating back to 2019. Customs officials rejected the claim.

The commission also said the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) owes N13.9 billion for 2023 to 2025.  
CAC Registrar-General, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, said the agency has been paying the debt gradually.

Committee Chairman, Senator Sani Musa (Niger East), directed CAC, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the committee secretariat to reconcile their records and report back within two weeks.

 
Senator Musa warned heads of NCAA, SMEDAN, ITF, FMC Jabi and other agencies that failed to attend the session to appear at the next sitting or face sanctions under Senate rules.

The Senate has stepped up oversight of revenue agencies in recent months to boost government earnings, enforce the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and ensure proper remittance of surpluses into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.