Customs Seeks Stakeholders’ Support for Stronger Compliance with Currency Declaration Laws
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to boost compliance with currency declaration laws, warning that ignorance would no longer be an excuse for violators.
This message was emphasized at a sensitisation programme jointly organised by the NCS, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Tahir Hotel in Kano State.
Addressing participants, the Customs Area Controller for Kano/Jigawa Command, Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, stressed that cross-border currency declaration is a legal requirement critical to protecting Nigeria’s economic stability and fighting illicit financial flows.
He revealed that the Service had intercepted several cases of undeclared foreign currencies at major airports and border points, including Lagos and Kano, attributing many infractions to the public’s ignorance of the law rather than criminal intent.
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“The law is clear — travellers must declare the amount of money they are carrying when crossing borders. When properly declared, there are no issues,” Comptroller Abubakar explained. He called for continuous public enlightenment and deeper synergy between law enforcement agencies to tackle illegal cash movements.
Highlighting the Customs Service’s renewed commitment to innovation and partnerships, Abubakar said the Service would intensify collaborative efforts with sister agencies like the ICPC and EFCC to build a corruption-free system.
Speaking at the event, ICPC Resident Commissioner in Kano, Ahmed Wada, described the sensitisation campaign as an effort to educate, not to intimidate. He assured stakeholders that the initiative seeks to improve voluntary compliance with existing regulations.
Similarly, EFCC’s Kano Zonal Commander, Ibrahim Shazali, cautioned against unlawful cash transactions, warning that breaches of currency movement laws attract severe penalties both within and outside Nigeria.
Also lending his voice, Sani Dada, chairman of the Bureau De Change Operators Association in Kano State, praised the programme as a timely intervention. He admitted that many confiscation incidents stemmed from a lack of knowledge among business operators and travellers.
The sensitisation programme reaffirmed the collective resolve of regulatory agencies to safeguard Nigeria’s financial system through awareness, cooperation, and strict enforcement of the law.
By PRNigeria
