The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has announced plans to launch special operations targeting the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country as part of efforts to protect local industries, preserve jobs and encourage investment in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders in the vegetable oil industry at the Service Headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniyi said the planned operations would be intelligence-driven and focused on curbing illicit trade activities that undermine legitimate businesses and threaten investments in the sector.
According to him, the Customs Service remains committed to combating smuggling through enhanced enforcement, intelligence gathering and collaboration with industry stakeholders.
He noted that both Customs and operators in the vegetable oil industry share a common interest in protecting local investments, promoting economic growth and creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
The Customs boss stressed that tackling smuggling requires sustained cooperation between government agencies and the private sector, particularly in industries that contribute significantly to employment generation and national development.
He urged stakeholders to support the Service by providing credible information 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 recent successes in intercepting illegally imported 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 estimated at N1.314 billion.
He explained that many of the seizures were made along major border corridors, including Seme and Idiroko, adding that surveillance and enforcement activities would be intensified in other identified smuggling hotspots.
Industry stakeholders welcomed the initiative, describing smuggling as a major threat to local production and investment.
Leading the delegation, Founder of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, commended the Customs Service for engaging stakeholders and taking steps to address the challenge.
Afolabi warned that the continued influx of smuggled vegetable oil products could weaken local manufacturing, discourage further investment and endanger thousands of jobs across the industry’s value chain.
He called for sustained enforcement actions and stronger collaboration between government agencies and industry operators to safeguard the sector and promote local production.
The renewed anti-smuggling campaign is expected to strengthen confidence among investors in the vegetable oil industry while supporting the Federal Government’s drive to boost local production, create jobs and reduce dependence on imported products.
