Customs cracks down on vegetable oil smuggling into Nigeria

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to launch intelligence‑driven special operations aimed at curbing the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country. The move is part of a broader effort to protect local investments, preserve jobs and support the agricultural value chain.

Comptroller‑General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi revealed the initiative during a meeting with stakeholders in the vegetable oil industry at the NCS headquarters in Abuja.

Adeniyi said the service remains committed to combating smuggling through strategic enforcement, intelligence gathering and collaboration with industry stakeholders. He stressed the need for ongoing cooperation between government agencies and the private sector to safeguard legitimate businesses and strengthen the economy.

“Fighting smuggling is a continuous process that requires intelligence, policy support and collaboration,” he said.

Deputy Comptroller‑General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation Timi Bomodi reported that the service has made significant progress in tackling the illegal importation of vegetable oil products.

“We recorded about 65 seizures of vegetable oil products in 2025 and another 23 seizures in 2026, with a combined duty‑paid value of approximately N1.314 billion,” Bomodi said.

He added that many of the seizures occurred along major smuggling corridors, including Seme and Idiroko, and that surveillance will be intensified in other vulnerable locations.

Speaking on behalf of industry stakeholders, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, founder of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, commended Customs for engaging the industry and urged stronger action against smuggling.

He warned that “the smuggling of vegetable oil is undermining local production, discouraging investment and threatening thousands of jobs across the value chain.”