Lilypond customs records $792.5m export value in second quarter
Lagos, Aug. 5, 2026, The Lilypond Export Command (LEXC) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it recorded export value of 792.56 million dollars in the second quarter of the year.
Comptroller Samuel Ariyibi, Customs Area Controller of the command, made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.
Ariyibi said the figure increased by 192.96 million dollars over the 599.60 million dollars recorded in the same period of 2025, representing 24.35 per cent growth rate.
He said during the review period, the command processed 5,510 export containers, a rise from the 3,732 containers handled during the corresponding period in 2025.
The area controller said this was a difference of 1,778 containers which translated to a 32.27 per cent growth in container throughput.
He said exports were categorised into four primary segments: agricultural products, manufactured goods, solid minerals, and others.
Ariyibi said agricultural produce remained a leading export, with a total value of 422.08 million dollars in the second quarter of the year.
He explained that the figure reflected an increase of 52.24 million dollars from 369.84 million dollars recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Ariyibi said for manufactured goods, the command processed exports worth 350.67 million dollars in the second quarter of the year, representing an increase of 230.37 million dollars compared to 120.30 million dollars recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
According to him, the jump points to Nigeria’s increasing industrial output and export diversification efforts.
He said solid mineral exports declined from 91.15 million dollars in the second quarter of 2025 to 7.17 million dollars in the second quarter of the year, noting that the reduction aligns with government policy on local value addition before export.
Ariyibi said under the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS), the command generated N5.38 billion in the same period of the year.
“This report highlights our key operations as a command solely dedicated to the processing of containerised exports, following the consolidation directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,” he said.
Ariyibi said NESS collection increased by N512.02 million compared to the N4.86 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2025, representing 9.52 per cent growth.
He added that the command generated N95.26 million as Export Surcharge during the period, a decrease of N54.13 million from the N149.39 million recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
The area controller said the command maintained a strong collaborative relationship with partner government agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
Ariyibi said that the agencies partner with the command were Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) Port Police and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Ariyibi commended the Comptroller-General of Customs for his support and for providing an enabling environment that promotes trade facilitation, especially in the non-oil export sector.
He urged all stakeholders, exporters, freight forwarders, and haulage operators to remained compliant and avoid activities contrary to extant laws, noting, “Ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse.”
Ariyibi also called on them to take advantage of the command’s open-door policy and familiarise themselves with export prohibition guidelines to ensure proper and legal trade processing.