In a pulsating finale that delivered everything a championship match should, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) emerged champions of the 2025 Maritime Cup, defeating arch-rivals Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) 4–1 on Wednesday to claim their sixth title in the competition’s history at the packed The Stable Pitch Surulere.
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First-Half Fire: Customs Strike Early
NCS started the game with intent, controlling possession and pressing high. Their dominance paid off when Captain Abubakar Mikail rose above his marker with an acrobatic style from a pinpoint cross, hitting the crossbar to bounce in the net and sending the Customs supporters into jubilation.
Second-Half Drama: Four Goals in 20 Minutes
The second half opened with both teams refusing to sit back. But the Ports Authority, known for their grit and resilience, responded swiftly. A quick counter-attack in the second half saw Adeniran Afeez penalised from an infringement to give the opponent a free kick that was struck perfectly by Ibrahim Abdullah to finish calmly past the goalkeeper, restoring parity and shifting momentum.
Customs regained the lead in the 52nd minute through the striker Sani Buhari who tapped in a superb effort into the bottom corner which led to the mass confrontation of NPA fans towards the match official questioning why the offside flag stayed down in the 1v1 situation that led to the goal.
The final restarted after ten minutes of delay. Eletu Olamilekan received a straight red after a fierce elbow to an opponent and NPA reduced to 10-men. A few minutes later, NCS midfielder Orunesajo Funmi also sent off in the game.
Just as the match seemed destined for a slim victory for NCS, the captain Abubakar Mikail capitalized on defensive error to push the lead to 3-1 before Sani Buhari ran through the center halfway line towards the final third to crown his effort to a 4-1 lead.
Customs’ Legacy Continues
The victory marks a historic sixth Maritime Cup triumph for the Nigeria Customs Service, solidifying their status as the competition’s dominant force. The captain, Abubakar Mikail praise the sports secretary of NCS, the players resilience, describing the win as “a testament to teamwork, discipline and a refusal to give up. He told Sports247 reporter during interview.
A Final to Remember
This year’s showdown will be remembered as one of the most exciting finals in recent editions—a match filled with tactical battles, emotional swings, and quality football reflective of the growing competitiveness within the maritime industries.
As the final whistle blew, Customs players hoisted the trophy high, celebrating a legacy built on consistency, heart, and an unyielding winning mentality crowning champions from (2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2025).
Nigeria Customs Service took all the 15th Edition of Maritime Cup awards with Adeniran Afeez earning the Most Valuable player of the tournament and Abubakar Mikail for the highest goal scorer award and Ahmad Shamsu as the best goalkeeper.
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