The Nigeria Customs Service and port stakeholders in Delta State are seeking stronger collaboration to improve port operations, facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen government revenue collection.
The call comes as the newly appointed Customs Area Controller for the Edo/Delta Command, Deputy Comptroller Dooyum Dominic Ortsen, begins efforts to deepen cooperation with businesses and other stakeholders operating across the region’s maritime sector.
Ortsen made the appeal during his maiden stakeholders’ engagement meeting at the Nigerian Ports Authority complex in Warri, where he unveiled a strategy built around three key priorities: consolidation, collaboration and innovation.
He said the command had been given an annual revenue target of approximately ₦209 billion, stressing that achieving the goal would require a collective effort from Customs officials, terminal operators, shipping companies, manufacturers, traders and other industry players.
The Customs chief assured stakeholders that his administration would build on existing relationships while addressing operational bottlenecks affecting legitimate businesses.
He also pledged to promote predictable cargo clearance, listen to genuine complaints and provide guidance where traders encounter difficulties with regulatory procedures.
Ortsen, however, warned that efforts to facilitate trade would not come at the expense of national security or government revenue. He maintained that deliberate violations of the law and false documentation would attract appropriate enforcement action.
The meeting was attended by representatives of businesses and maritime organisations operating in Edo and Delta states, including companies involved in manufacturing, shipping and shipbuilding.
Stronger cooperation between Customs and port operators is expected to support more efficient cargo movement, improve compliance and create a more business-friendly environment across Warri, Koko and other facilities under the command.
The initiative also comes amid wider efforts to improve Nigeria’s port competitiveness and reduce the cost of doing business in the maritime sector
