By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to launch intelligence driven special operations against the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country as part of efforts to protect local investments, preserve jobs and support the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders in the vegetable oil industry held at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the Service remains committed to combating smuggling through strategic enforcement measures, intelligence gathering and sustained collaboration with industry operators. He noted that both the Customs Service and stakeholders in the vegetable oil sector share a common goal of protecting legitimate businesses, encouraging investment and strengthening the nation’s economy.
According to him, addressing the menace of smuggling requires continuous cooperation between government agencies and the private sector, particularly in sectors that contribute significantly to employment generation and economic growth.
The Customs boss also urged industry players to support enforcement efforts by providing credible intelligence on smuggling routes and illegal 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 successes in curbing the illegal importation of vegetable oil products.
Bomodi revealed 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.
He explained that many of the interceptions were made along major smuggling corridors, including Seme and Idiroko border routes, adding that surveillance operations would be intensified in other identified 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 stated.
Also speaking, the Founder of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, commended the Customs Service for creating a platform for dialogue and engagement with industry stakeholders.
Afolabi stressed the need for stronger measures to curb vegetable oil smuggling, warning that the illicit trade poses a serious threat to local production, investment and employment.
“Smuggling of vegetable oil undermines local production, discourages investment and threatens thousands of jobs across the value chain,” he said.
The meeting underscored the growing collaboration between the Customs Service and industry stakeholders aimed at safeguarding local production, promoting economic development and ensuring a level playing field for legitimate businesses operating within Nigeria’s vegetable oil sector.
