Customs ramps up anti‑smuggling efforts targeting vegetable oil imports

…Vows to Protect Local Producers, Investments

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up its campaign to stop the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country, announcing plans to launch intelligence‑driven special operations that aim to safeguard local investments, preserve jobs and support the growth of the agricultural value chain.

The Comptroller‑General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, made the remarks during a meeting with stakeholders in the vegetable oil industry at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, reiterated the NCS’s commitment to tackling smuggling through strategic enforcement, intelligence gathering and collaboration with industry stakeholders.

Adeniyi noted that the Customs Service and operators in the vegetable oil sector share a common goal of protecting legitimate businesses, encouraging investment and strengthening the nation’s economy.

The CGC stressed that addressing smuggling requires sustained cooperation between government agencies and the private sector, especially in sectors that generate significant employment and economic development.

He 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.

Also speaking, 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 the NCS recorded several seizures across key border corridors and assured stakeholders that surveillance would be intensified in vulnerable locations.

“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 explained that many of the seizures were made along major smuggling routes, including the Seme and Idiroko border corridors, adding that surveillance operations would be strengthened in other identified hotspots.

Speaking on behalf of industry stakeholders, the Founder of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, commended the Customs Service for creating a platform for dialogue and engagement.

He, however, stressed the need for sustained action against the smuggling of vegetable oil, warning that the illicit trade undermines local production, discourages investment and threatens thousands of jobs across the value chain.

“Smuggling of vegetable oil undermines local production, discourages investment and threatens thousands of jobs across the value chain,” Afolabi said.

The renewed crackdown is part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader strategy to support local industries, enhance revenue generation and safeguard the nation’s economic interests.

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