It was not just another handing-over. Inside the auditorium of the Apapa Area Command on Tuesday, the air was heavy with legacy, expectation and history.
On one side stood a man bowing out after setting a record that rattled the books – N323 billion in a single month, N28.1 billion in a single day. On the other, the man chosen to beat it.
Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu stepped forward as the 33rd Customs Area Controller of Nigeria’s most strategic port, Apapa, with a calm but firm promise: to consolidate, and to surpass.
“This appointment is a great honour and privilege,” Mu’azu began, his voice measured. “I accept this responsibility with a deep sense of duty and a firm commitment to the mandate of the Service and the economic interest of our dear nation.”
He did not come with long speeches. He came with three words that have become the mantra of the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi – Consolidation, Collaboration, Innovation.
For traders who have groaned under delays at Apapa, his next line was the headline.
“Unnecessary human delays in cargo processing, otherwise known as Non-Tariff Barriers, shall not be tolerated henceforth.”
It drew applause from licensed agents, terminal operators and shipping executives present. Mu’azu was clear: if your papers are complete, your cargo must move.
But he was also blunt to his officers.
“Every revenue due to government must be properly assessed and collected, and every decision taken must stand the test of scrutiny over time,” he warned. The era of arbitrary assessments, he implied, was over.
The challenge before him is Herculean, and he knows it.
His predecessor, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba (Rtd), left big shoes. In July 2026, Apapa recorded its highest-ever monthly collection of N323 billion. On August 18, it collected N28.102 billion in one day – figures that were once thought impossible.
“This is indeed a record to reckon with and strive towards matching,” Mu’azu admitted.
Oshoba, in his emotional farewell, refused to take personal glory.
“The achievements recorded do not belong to one individual. They belong to all of us,” he said. “Discipline must remain our foundation, professionalism our standard and excellence our aspiration.”
He also listed the reform tools Apapa has become known for – B’Odogwu, Advance Ruling, Authorised Economic Operator Programme, One-Stop Shop, and Non-Intrusive Inspection scanners that are changing how Customs works.
For stakeholders, the message from the new Controller was reassuring. Apapa will remain open, fair and firm.
“The success we seek cannot be achieved by the CAC alone. It requires our collective efforts, operational integrity and willingness to uphold standards,” Mu’azu said.
As the flags were handed over and goodwill messages poured in from the Navy, NDLEA, DSS, NPA, and private sector, one thing was clear: Apapa has turned a page, but the book remains the same – revenue, facilitation, and national interest.