The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed that it intercepted undeclared cash worth $2.209 million at major airports across the country between January and July 2025.

According to reports obtained from the Service, the seizures were recorded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

In March, NCS operatives at the Kano airport intercepted $1,154,900 and SR135,900 (Saudi Riyals) concealed in packs of palm dates from a passenger arriving from Saudi Arabia. The suspect was arrested, and the funds were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), leading to a court conviction and subsequent forfeiture to the Federal Government.

Also in March, Customs officers at Abuja airport intercepted $193,000 in undeclared cash hidden inside a carton of yoghurt from an inbound passenger arriving from Jeddah. At the Lagos airport, $578,000 was seized from a South Africa-bound passenger who falsely declared $279,000 but concealed an additional $299,000 in multiple packages.

In July, another Kano-bound passenger arriving from Saudi Arabia was caught with foreign currencies totaling approximately ₦653.99 million, including $420,900, 3,946,500 West African CFA francs, 224,000 Central African CFA francs, and €5,825. Similarly, at the Lagos airport, an outbound passenger declared only $6,000, while he was found in possession of $29,000.

Reacting to the surge in seizures, Mr. Pius Ujubuonu, a chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, attributed the trend to fiscal policy gaps.

> “It’s a fiscal policy issue. Anywhere you have high rates of circumvention, there is something that does not add up there,” he said, urging the government to review fiscal policies to encourage proper declarations.

Dr. Segun Musa, Deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, stressed the need for stronger awareness campaigns.

> “We need to do more rigorous campaigns to make the general public aware of the rules,” he noted, calling for thorough investigations into the intercepted funds to determine appropriate sanctions.

The Nigeria Customs Service reiterated that travelers are required to declare any cash exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent in other currencies. Declaration forms, it added, have been made available at airline counters to facilitate compliance.