Adeniyi Reaffirms Nigeria’s Commitment to Regional Customs Modernisation at WCO Conference
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council, Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional modernisation, cooperation, and collective growth among Customs administrations in West and Central Africa.
Adeniyi made the declaration during the 32nd Conference of Directors-General of Customs for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region, held from Thursday, 7 May to Friday, 8 May 2026, in Freetown.
Addressing delegates at the high-level gathering, the Customs boss said Nigeria’s leadership role within the region is rooted in unity, inclusiveness, and the shared advancement of all member states.
According to him, the WCA region has distinguished itself through a longstanding tradition of rotational leadership that gives every member nation, regardless of size or economic strength, an opportunity to contribute to the regional agenda.
“This chairmanship is not mine. It belongs to the region that sent me,” Adeniyi declared. “Anytime I take the chair, I take it on behalf of every administration represented in this hall. That is the truth of it, and that is the spirit in which I serve.”
He further praised the spirit of cohesion within the regional bloc, noting that the seamless rotation of conference hosting rights among member countries reflects the strong bond shared by Customs administrations across West and Central Africa.
“Our region has a quiet but powerful tradition. Every member, big or small, takes its turn. The right to host is not negotiated. We pass the baton from one capital to the next, and in the passing, we remind ourselves of who we are,” he said.
Describing the arrangement as one of the defining features of the regional Customs family, Adeniyi added that the culture of inclusiveness has fostered a level of unity admired by other regions.
The Comptroller-General also commended the leadership of the WCO Secretary-General for promoting an inclusive global Customs modernisation agenda that ensures balanced regional representation in international reforms and policy decisions.
He equally acknowledged the contributions of members of the WCO Policy Commission representing the West and Central Africa Region for consistently advancing the interests of member states at global Customs decision-making platforms.
The conference was officially declared open by the President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Julius Maada Bio, who stressed the need for stronger regional collaboration to enhance trade facilitation, border security, and economic integration across West and Central Africa.
The conference, themed “A Customs Service that Protects Society Through its Vigilance and Commitment,” focused heavily on digital transformation and intelligence-led border management.
Discussions centred on the need for Customs administrations to move beyond reactive enforcement approaches towards proactive systems driven by intelligence gathering, automation, and coordinated regional operations.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, while setting the tone for policy deliberations, described Customs administrations as the protective shield of the modern state and unveiled the country’s ongoing Customs modernisation initiatives.
The initiatives include the upgrade of ASYCUDA World, implementation of a Single Window Customs and Ports Community System, and the introduction of Product Tracing and Fiscal Integrity solutions for excisable goods.
Throughout the two-day conference, delegates reviewed reports from the WCO Secretariat and the Regional Working Group on the Private Sector, with major emphasis placed on harmonising Customs procedures across borders, enhancing real-time information sharing, combating illicit trade, and strengthening administrative efficiency through improved budgetary and audit systems.
Digital transformation emerged as one of the dominant themes of the summit, with participants underscoring the importance of Single Window implementation, the ECOWAS SIGMAT framework for transit verification, and the operational impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Customs harmonisation, risk management, and cross-border data exchange.
Delegates agreed that while regional trade integration remains essential for economic growth, it must be supported by efficient border controls and coordinated intelligence-sharing mechanisms capable of tackling illicit trade and transnational crimes.
The conference noted that free trade initiatives can only succeed when backed by robust Customs systems that facilitate legitimate commerce while preventing abuse of regional trade corridors.
Observers said the discussions aligned closely with the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing modernisation reforms, particularly in the areas of automation, intelligence-led operations, and strengthened regional cooperation.
Meanwhile, the conference also witnessed the election of the Central African Republic as the new Vice Chair for the WCO West and Central Africa Region, succeeding Mali after the successful completion of its two-year tenure.
