The Lilypond Export Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) processed export cargo valued at $792.56 million in the second quarter of 2026, representing a 24.35 per cent increase from the $599.60 million recorded in the same period last year.
The performance was driven by higher export volumes and improved trade facilitation, according to the Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Samuel Ariyibi.
Ariyibi disclosed the figures during a press briefing in Lagos, where he said the command processed 5,510 export containers during the quarter, compared with 3,732 containers in Q2 2025.
The increase of 1,778 containers represents a 32.27 per cent rise year-on-year and points to stronger activity through the command’s export processing facilities.
Agricultural commodities remained the largest contributor to export value, accounting for $422.08 million during the quarter, compared with $369.84 million in the corresponding period of 2025.
However, manufactured exports recorded the most significant growth among the major categories. The value of manufactured goods processed by the command rose to $350.67 million from $120.30 million a year earlier, an increase of $230.37 million.
Ariyibi said the sharp rise in manufactured exports reflected growing industrial capacity and efforts to diversify Nigeria’s export base beyond traditional commodities.
The solid minerals segment, however, moved in the opposite direction. Export value in the category fell to $7.17 million from $91.15 million in Q2 2025.
According to the controller, the decline was consistent with the Federal Government’s policy of encouraging greater local processing and value addition before minerals are exported.
NESS revenue rises 9.52%
The command also recorded growth in revenue generated under the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS).
Ariyibi said N5.38 billion was collected through NESS during the quarter, representing an increase of N512.02 million, or 9.52 per cent, compared with the N4.86 billion generated in Q2 2025.
Export surcharge collections, however, declined during the period. The command recorded N95.26 million in export surcharges, down from N149.39 million in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
The controller attributed the broader improvement in export processing to the consolidation directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, which designated Lilypond as the dedicated command for containerised exports.
The arrangement, he said, has strengthened the command’s role in facilitating non-oil exports while improving coordination among agencies involved in the export process.
Lilypond Customs continues to work with regulatory and security agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Port Police and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
Ariyibi said the collaboration was essential to maintaining efficient export operations while ensuring that shipments complied with applicable regulatory and safety requirements.
He commended the Comptroller-General for creating an environment conducive to trade facilitation, particularly for operators in the non-oil export segment.
The controller also urged exporters, freight forwarders and haulage companies to comply fully with existing export requirements, warning stakeholders against relying on ignorance of regulations as a defence for non-compliance.
He encouraged industry operators to take advantage of the command’s open-door policy and familiarise themselves with export procedures and prohibited goods guidelines to minimise delays and ensure lawful processing.
The latest figures underscore the expanding role of containerised non-oil exports in Nigeria’s trade flows, with the strong performance of manufactured goods offering a notable indication of increased activity in the country’s drive toward export diversification.
