By David Oladimeji
Apapa, home to Nigeria’s busiest seaport and the flagship of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), welcomed a new commander on Monday as Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba officially assumed leadership of the Apapa Area Command.
The change of guard marks a pivotal moment for the Service’s revenue hub, where Oshoba has vowed to sustain impressive achievements while charting a bold path anchored on innovation, integrity, and digital modernization.
At the handover ceremony, Oshoba spoke with humility and determination. He thanked the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, for the confidence reposed in him to lead the command, and he paid glowing tribute to his predecessor, ACG Babatunde Olomu, for what he described as “a solid foundation of remarkable achievements.”
“I live with a desire to improve on any environment I find myself. My work period here won’t be an exception,” Oshoba declared, signaling that his tenure would be marked by progress and forward-thinking reforms.
He called on officers, industry stakeholders, and port operators to join hands with him, stressing that the collective strength of all actors is vital to consolidating the command’s success story.
Oshoba laid out his vision in clear terms: inclusiveness will be his guiding principle. He pledged to open his doors to ideas, expertise, and passion from officers and stakeholders alike, ensuring that decisions reflect broad consultation and collaboration.
Technology, he said, will form the backbone of his administration. From the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) to programs such as the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), Time Release Study (TRS), and Advanced Ruling (AR), Oshoba promised to deepen digital innovation to enhance trade facilitation.
“As Nigeria now chairs the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, the global customs community is watching us closely. We must uphold compliance and adherence to legal frameworks while ensuring seamless trade facilitation,” he reminded officers.
He described himself not merely as a leader but as a partner, assuring stakeholders that integrity, inclusiveness, and innovation would remain the three pillars of his administration.
Outgoing Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, now promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General, reflected on his tenure with gratitude. He thanked officers, sister agencies, and stakeholders for their cooperation, which, he said, was instrumental to the command’s record-breaking feats.
Olomu recalled with pride that Apapa Command generated an unprecedented ₦2.3 trillion in 2024, earned the award for Best Command in Revenue Generation and Trade Facilitation, and set a new milestone of ₦214 billion collected in a single month—August 2025.
He revealed that by the first eight months of 2025 alone, Apapa had already collected ₦1.834 trillion, representing more than 60 percent of its ambitious ₦3 trillion annual target.
The ceremony was graced by notable figures in the maritime and trade industry, including the Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa, Mr. Steen Knudsen; the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam; and the Managing Director of Muna Sylver Nigeria Limited, Princess Chi Ezeh.
For many observers, Oshoba’s emergence at Apapa signals not only continuity but also a fresh wave of reforms that could redefine the port’s operations and strengthen Nigeria’s position in global trade.
As the dust settles on the handover, expectations are high. Officers, stakeholders, and the trading community will be watching closely to see if Comptroller Oshoba’s promises of transparency, innovation, and inclusiveness will transform Apapa into an even stronger symbol of efficiency for the nation’s economy.
