Nigeria’s Customs Service has outlined plans to roll out intelligence-led special operations aimed at stopping the smuggling of vegetable oil into the country, framing the move as essential to protecting local producers, preserving employment and strengthening the agricultural value chain. The initiative was announced by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during a meeting with stakeholders in the vegetable oil sector held at the service’s headquarters in Abuja.
Adeniyi said the agency is determined to tackle illicit trade through a mix of targeted enforcement, improved intelligence collection and tighter coordination with players in the private sector. He stressed that safeguarding legitimate businesses and supporting broader economic activity depends on sustained cooperation between government institutions and industry participants. “Fighting smuggling is a continuous process that requires intelligence, policy support and collaboration,” Adeniyi said.
On enforcement progress, Timi Bomodi, the Deputy Comptroller-General responsible for Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, said the service has already made headway against illegal imports of vegetable oil products. Bomodi reported that customs officers recorded about 65 seizures of vegetable oil products in 2025, followed by 23 additional seizures in 2026. He added that the seizures carried a combined duty-paid value of approximately N1.314 billion.
Bomodi also noted that a number of the seizures were linked to major smuggling routes, including Seme and Idiroko, and indicated that monitoring will be intensified in other locations considered vulnerable to trafficking. He said the stepped-up surveillance approach is intended to reduce opportunities for repeat offences and improve disruption across the supply chain.
Industry stakeholders welcomed the engagement with customs officials but called for tougher and more consistent action. Speaking on behalf of the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria, Dr. Fatai Afolabi commended the service for meeting with the sector and urged stronger measures against smuggling. He warned that illegal trade in vegetable oil is eroding local production, discouraging new investment and putting thousands of jobs at risk across the value chain.
