The Nigeria Customs Service seized 15,212 bags of smuggled rice worth more than N907.78 million during the first quarter of 2026, according to official enforcement statistics obtained by Vanguard.
Data from the Enforcement Investigation and Inspection Department’s Enforcement Return and Statistics Unit showed that the agency recorded 286 rice seizure cases between January and March 2026.
The statistics also revealed that the total Duty Paid Value, DPV, of the confiscated rice stood at N1.38 billion within the three-month period.
A breakdown of the figures showed fluctuations in monthly interceptions, with February accounting for the highest number of seizures during the quarter.
In January, Customs intercepted 4,027 bags of smuggled rice across 64 cases. The seizures had a Cost, Insurance and Freight, CIF, value of N244.77 million, while the duty payable was put at N97.82 million. The DPV for the month stood at N342.58 million.
The figures rose sharply in February, with seizures increasing by 56.5 per cent month-on-month to 6,301 bags from 127 interception cases.
For February, the seized rice had a CIF value of N360.11 million, while the duty involved was estimated at N200.69 million. The DPV for the month was placed at N560.80 million.
However, the volume of intercepted rice declined in March, dropping by 29 per cent month-on-month to 4,884 bags from 95 recorded cases.
The March seizures posted a CIF value of N302.91 million, with duty payable estimated at N169.30 million, while the DPV stood at N472.21 million.
Reacting to the development, the Head of Research at the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre, Eugene Nweke, said rice smuggling in Nigeria could not be wiped out immediately because of prevailing economic realities and increasing food demand.
Nweke noted that despite government restrictions and tariffs on rice imports, neighbouring countries still benefit from the trade, while smugglers continue to exploit border routes to move rice into Nigeria.
He added that domestic rice production has not yet met local consumption needs, making it difficult to completely end smuggling activities.
“You can only try to reduce or suppress it. Customs cannot completely eradicate rice smuggling because it is an international issue,” he said.
Nweke also urged the Federal Government to reassess its rice importation policies and maintain sustained investment in local rice production to reduce reliance on imports.
