Adewale Adeniyi: One More Year of Reforms at Customs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, approved a one-year extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. His tenure was originally due to expire on August 31, 2025.

Adeniyi was appointed in 2023 and has since led several transformational initiatives aimed at repositioning the Service for greater efficiency, transparency, and alignment with global trade standards.

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said the extension would enable Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete strategic initiatives under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Among the critical projects highlighted are: the continued modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service, the full rollout of the National Single Window Project, and the effective implementation of Nigeria’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.

“The extension, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will enable Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete critical initiatives of this administration,” the statement said.

 Tinubu also acknowledged Adeniyi’s “steadfast leadership and commitment to service” and expressed confidence that the additional year will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in its core mandate areas—trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.

Adeniyi’s tenure extension is a clear vote of confidence in his leadership and reform-driven agenda.

The Nigeria Customs Service plays a vital role in the country’s economic framework, serving as a gatekeeper for revenue collection and national security at the borders.

With the AfCFTA now entering critical stages of execution, the administration’s decision signals a continued emphasis on trade integration, digital systems enhancement, and cross-border efficiency.

Since assuming office, Adeniyi has spearheaded a wave of institutional transformation, blending professionalism with innovation to modernise Customs operations and reposition the agency as a critical enabler of economic growth.

His reappointment signals a strong endorsement from the presidency and a recognition of the urgent need to sustain the momentum of change he has inspired within the Service.

Under Adeniyi’s watch, the NCS has witnessed significant improvements in trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security. His emphasis on digitisation, transparency, and compliance has helped close loopholes, enhance efficiency, and boost stakeholder confidence in the agency’s processes.

According to stakeholders, one of the factors that led to his tenure extension was that last month, the World Customs Organisation (WCO), comprising the Heads of 186 Customs administrations, formally endorsed Adeniyi as its Chairperson.

In his acceptance speech, Adeniyi acknowledged the exceptional work of his predecessor, whose guidance and stability he said provided strong leadership for the Council.

“Specifically, I hope to build on the progress made so far in the development of the Strategic Plan for 2025-2028, and I look forward to working with the Secretariat and the Vice-Chairs towards its diligent implementation and WCO modernization,” he added.

The Customs CG also pledged his commitment to ensuring that the recently launched B’Odogwu system is transformed into a first-class trade facilitation platform for the country.

Adeniyi said with all the clarity of the system, they are now resolute to transform the platform into a world-class trade facilitation platform for trade modernisation.

According to him, “Technology is not cheap. As we migrate from one system to the other, we make a lot of investments in technology rollouts. We are going to be talking about scanners, system upgrades, and all of that. And we plan to make B’Odogwu a reference point in trade facilitation.

“Now that the chairmanship of the WCO is with us, we also want to show the world that we can take in our trade, manage it by a system that is indigenously developed. So at the end, in the next three years, it is going to be Oduku to the world, and Nigerians will see that we have a system that can work. However, technology everywhere is capital-intensive.”

B’Odogwu is a locally developed digital trade facilitation and integration system introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service.

The Comptroller General has also, within a short period, through the instrumentality of synergy, substantially cleared several of the illegal checkpoints on the Lagos-Abidjan trade corridor, which had, before now, constituted a serious hindrance to the free flow of legitimate trade. The Customs management is currently optimising the implementation of the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project TMP, which is aimed at further promoting trade facilitation. When fully operational, the project would enhance a unified Customs management system, trade portal, and cargo release system. These come alongside other automation services such as big data and artificial intelligence AI, integration and document management systems, as well as transition and handbook, which covers technology upgrades and enhanced capacity building. The project, which has received a major boost in the last eight months, has been identified as a milestone, as it highlights the significance of digitisation for transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness of port operations.

From the automation of clearance procedures to his commitment to capacity-building across the Service, Adeniyi has consistently demonstrated that meaningful reform is both possible and necessary within Nigeria’s public institutions.

What also stands out in Adeniyi’s tenure is his people-centred leadership style. His open-door policy and hands-on engagement with personnel and external stakeholders alike have created a more responsive, performance-driven culture across Customs commands.

At the heart of his reforms is a belief that the Service must not only generate revenue but also contribute meaningfully to national development by easing the cost of doing business and protecting local industries from illicit trade.

As he begins another year at the helm, expectations are high. But so too is the optimism that Adeniyi will consolidate the gains of the past year and deepen the reform path.

With continued support from the government, the business community, and his team within the Service, the Customs CG has a golden opportunity to entrench lasting change and solidify his legacy as one of the most impactful leaders in the Service’s history. This extension offers a valuable opportunity to consolidate ongoing reforms, deepen institutional capacity, and drive forward the modernisation agenda that is vital for national revenue growth and economic development. It is a moment not just for continuity, but for bold progress.

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