Nigeria Customs Service 2024 Conference: CGC Adeniyi Outlines Transformation Milestones, Future Vision
The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has highlighted the Service’s strides in modernisation, partnerships, and revenue collection while setting forth ambitious plans for the coming year – 2025.
CGC Adeniyi, addressing participants at the 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference, themed “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,” emphasised the importance of collaboration in meeting national goals.
“Gathering here in Abuja, a symbol of our unity in diversity, mirrors our mission to unite both traditional and new partners of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the “Continental Declaration of 2023” made in Lagos, Adeniyi noted the remarkable progress achieved in the past year. This declaration, he stated, was a “blueprint for transformation,” which included modernising customs processes, streamlining examinations, and embracing automation.
The service successfully introduced a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, expanded scanning capabilities, and enhanced ICT infrastructure.
“We pledged transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaboration with our partners,” Adeniyi affirmed, noting that these commitments have now evolved into tangible achievements.
Acknowledging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and Finance Minister Wale Edun’s strategic guidance, Adeniyi credited these reforms with creating a business-friendly trading environment that aligns with the Tinubu administration’s economic transformation agenda.
Adeniyi announced a historic milestone achieved just the previous day – the Nigeria Customs Service reached its 2024 revenue target, collecting NGN 5.07 trillion as of 12 November, surpassing its goal with more than a month to spare.
This achievement, projected to exceed the target by 10%, “validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” Adeniyi noted.
Highlighting the service’s rise in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) rankings, now among the top five agencies in trade facilitation, Adeniyi underscored the real impact of these reforms.
The Service’s support for exporters and small enterprises and its role in launching Nigeria’s first shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were also celebrated as examples of Nigeria’s growing commitment to continental trade integration.
In 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service made unprecedented strides in its enforcement mandate, seizing goods worth over NGN 28.1 billion, including wildlife items, arms, narcotics, and illicit pharmaceuticals.
Among the year’s highlights was the successful “Operation Whirlwind” – a joint initiative to curb petroleum smuggling, launched with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“When agencies work together with shared purpose, we multiply our effectiveness in safeguarding national interests,” Adeniyi asserted.
Acknowledging significant internal challenges, including high leadership turnover, Adeniyi detailed the Service’s strategic interventions, including an ambitious Human Resource Development Plan and the establishment of a Customs University, aimed at building a knowledge-driven service and preparing the next generation of customs leaders.
“With 76% of our management team transitioning this year, we are committed to preserving stability through a comprehensive talent management programme,” he stated.
With eyes set on 2025, Adeniyi outlined key objectives, including reducing physical inspections, expanding the Authorised Economic Operator programme, fully deploying e-customs infrastructure, and deepening stakeholder engagement.
“Our vision for a modern customs administration will require even stronger partnerships with all stakeholders,” he emphasised, reiterating the conference theme of purposeful engagement with both traditional and new partners.
As the conference continues for the next two days, with sessions on revenue collection, trade facilitation, and compliance, Adeniyi expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and partners for their unwavering support.
He concluded by inviting attendees to Friday’s Awards Night, a celebration of excellence in service, “recognising and rewarding outstanding performance in the face of challenges.”
This conference, Adeniyi stressed, aims to “strengthen existing partnerships, forge new alliances, and leave a legacy of collaboration that supports the Nigeria Customs Service through its transition and beyond.”
