The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to launch intelligence-driven special operations targeting 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 stakeholders’ meeting with operators in the vegetable oil industry held at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on June 5, 2026.
Adeniyi said the Service remains committed to combating smuggling through strategic enforcement measures, intelligence gathering, and stronger collaboration with industry stakeholders.
According to him, both the Customs Service and operators in the vegetable oil sector share a common objective of safeguarding legitimate businesses, encouraging investment, and strengthening the nation’s economy.
He stressed that tackling smuggling requires sustained cooperation between government agencies and the private sector, particularly in sectors that play a vital role in job creation and economic development.
The Customs boss also urged industry 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.
Speaking at the meeting, 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 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 about N1.314 billion.
He noted that many of the seizures were made along major smuggling corridors, including the Seme and Idiroko border routes, adding that surveillance and enforcement activities would be intensified in other identified vulnerable locations.
Leading the industry delegation, Fatai Afolabi, founder of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, commended the Customs Service for creating a platform for engagement with stakeholders.
Afolabi, however, stressed the need for stronger measures to curb the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country, warning that the illicit trade threatens local production and investment.
According to him, the continued smuggling of vegetable oil undermines domestic manufacturing, discourages investment, and endangers thousands of jobs across the industry’s value chain.
The meeting formed part of ongoing efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthen collaboration with industry stakeholders and enhance enforcement strategies aimed at protecting local industries from the adverse effects of smuggling.
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