Reps demand details of ₦34tn import duty waivers, query Customs revenue records

Nigeria's House of Representatives Committee on Finance has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to provide a comprehensive report on approximately ₦34 trillion in import duty waivers issued. Lawmakers are intensifying their scrutiny of government revenue and fiscal accountability, demanding transparency in the waiver process.

During an oversight session, committee Chairman James Faleke emphasized that while the government's policy of granting waivers is not opposed, the process must be transparent and economically beneficial. The committee requires a list of all beneficiaries, the legal authority for the concessions, and the intended objectives to assess whether these incentives have delivered the expected economic advantages, particularly in critical sectors like agriculture and healthcare.

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Waiver is good. It is not a bad thing to grant a waiver. But we want to know those who benefited from the waiver and the purpose of such waiver.

Faleke stated, "Waiver is good. It is not a bad thing to grant a waiver. But we want to know those who benefited from the waiver and the purpose of such waiver." He added that waivers on agricultural and medical products are intended to help the economy, for instance, by reducing food costs, and the committee wants to verify these outcomes.

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We are not going to applaud your efforts now because your account books are not balanced.

Beyond waivers, the committee also challenged the NCS regarding its revenue figures. Lawmakers noted discrepancies in the agency's financial records, despite consistent overperformance against annual collection targets. Faleke requested a monthly breakdown of revenue generation to properly evaluate the agency's performance, stating, "We are not going to applaud your efforts now because your account books are not balanced."

Deputy Chairman Saidu Abdullahi suggested that the federal government should consider increasing the revenue targets for Customs, citing the agency's consistent overachievement as evidence of its capacity to generate more income. He believes the current targets do not sufficiently challenge the NCS.

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I personally believe that they can do more than the target we give to them.