Nigeria Customs College Graduates 100 Middle Cadre Officers to Strengthen Leadership, Service Delivery
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has graduated 100 middle cadre officers drawn from Senior Course 13 and Junior Course 23 of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, in a move aimed at strengthening leadership capacity, operational efficiency and strategic management across the Service.
The graduation ceremony, held on Friday, 12 December 2025, attracted senior Customs officers, instructors and invited guests, underscoring the Service’s commitment to continuous professional development and institutional excellence.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Kikelomo Adeola, congratulated the graduating officers and urged them to apply the knowledge, skills and values acquired during the training to improve service delivery in their respective Commands and units.
DCG Adeola described capacity building as a cornerstone of the ongoing modernisation agenda of the Nigeria Customs Service, stressing that officers trained at the College are expected to make tangible contributions to the effectiveness of Customs operations nationwide.
“Capacity building remains a central pillar of the Nigeria Customs Service modernisation agenda, and officers who pass through this College are expected to translate their training into improved service delivery across all Commands,” she said.
She further charged the graduates to uphold professionalism, discipline and integrity, noting that as middle cadre officers, they occupy a strategic position within the Service and serve as role models to junior colleagues and newly recruited personnel.
“As you return to your various units, you must uphold professionalism, discipline and integrity, knowing that younger officers will look up to you as role models worthy of emulation,” DCG Adeola added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant of the College, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Dow Gaura, said the successful completion of Senior Course 13 and Junior Course 23 reflected the discipline, resilience and intellectual rigour demonstrated by the officers throughout the training period.
According to him, the programmes were deliberately designed to prepare officers for higher responsibilities within the Service, equipping them with the leadership and managerial competencies required in a dynamic and increasingly complex operating environment.
“The successful completion of Senior Course 13 and Junior Course 23 reflects the discipline, resilience and intellectual rigour displayed by the officers throughout a demanding programme designed to prepare them for higher responsibilities in the Service,” ACG Gaura said.
He noted that the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College plays a critical role in professionalising the NCS workforce through a structured and comprehensive curriculum aligned with international best practices.
“The College remains committed to professionalising the Nigeria Customs Service through a curriculum that integrates customs law, leadership, operations management and strategic studies in line with global best practices,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, the Course Senior for Senior Course 13, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Umar Garba, described the programme as transformative, noting that it had significantly enhanced their professional outlook and leadership capacity.
“The programme has been transformative, strengthening our leadership skills, deepening our understanding of customs procedures and broadening our perspective on inter-agency collaboration and national security,” Garba said, while expressing gratitude to the Customs management and instructors for their guidance and support.
Highlights of the ceremony included a Guard of Honour for the Special Guest of Honour, the presentation of certificates and the conferment of awards on outstanding officers who distinguished themselves during the courses.
In line with long-standing Customs tradition, a Regimental Dinner Night was earlier held on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, at the College premises.
The event celebrated officers who had successfully undergone rigorous training programmes lasting three months for the Junior Course and six months for the Senior Course, reinforcing esprit de corps, discipline and service values within the Nigeria Customs Service.
