Nigeria Customs Intensifies Collaboration Against Terrorism Financing, Money Laundering
The Nigeria Customs Service has reiterated the need for stronger inter-agency cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated security operations in the fight against terrorism financing, money laundering, wildlife trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the remarks on Wednesday, 21 May 2026, while receiving participants of the Operational Level Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Regional Security Course 2 (CFTRSC-OPL2) from the National Defence College during a study tour to the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Adeniyi said the increasing sophistication of cross-border crimes demands deeper collaboration among security agencies and stakeholders, stressing that no single institution can effectively combat the growing threat posed by international criminal networks.
He commended the ongoing capacity development initiatives within the Customs Service and praised the participation of officers drawn from various formations across the country, describing such training programmes as vital to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
The Customs boss also described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list as a major achievement that has helped restore investor confidence and improve the nation’s reputation within the global financial system.
According to him, the country’s previous placement on the grey list created serious financial and reputational challenges for Nigerians, including restrictions placed on Nigerian-issued bank cards abroad, which disrupted international transactions and negatively affected the nation’s image.
Adeniyi explained that the responsibilities of Customs have expanded significantly beyond traditional revenue generation and border control functions.
He noted that offences such as undervaluation, overvaluation, wildlife trafficking, illicit exportation of African resources and other trade-related violations have become major components of financial and organised crimes.
He disclosed that the Service is currently working closely with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit and airline operators to implement automated currency declaration systems aimed at strengthening financial monitoring and curbing illicit financial flows.
“For us to get ahead of these criminals, we must continue to work together and subject our individual mandates to broader national security objectives,” Adeniyi stated.
Earlier in his remarks, the Team Lead and Course Director Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Unit at the National Defence College, Dr Adam Abdullahi, emphasised that terrorism financing remains the backbone sustaining terrorist activities across the world.
He stressed the importance of synergy among the Department of State Services, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Armed Forces, Customs and other relevant agencies in addressing security threats effectively.
“The lifeline of terrorism is financing, and tackling it cannot be done by one institution alone,” Abdullahi said.
Also speaking during the engagement, the officer in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Unit of the Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Mas’ud Salihu, highlighted the increasing exploitation of global connectivity and supply chains by criminal syndicates to move illicit goods and funds across borders.
Salihu explained that the Customs Service plays a critical role in enforcing currency declaration regulations and intercepting prohibited items, including arms and narcotics.
He called for stronger domestic and international cooperation to effectively disrupt criminal networks and protect national and regional security.
