Tinubu's Govt Lauded Over Developmental Strides in Nigeria Customs: "In Less Than 2 Years"
- Media consultant Eze said Bashir Adeniyi’s appointment as NCS Comptroller-General in 2023 transformed the agency into one of Nigeria’s most efficient institutions
- Adeniyi’s reforms, including dismantling redundant units, deploying digital systems, and enhancing training, boosted revenue, trade volume, and enforcement significantly
- Eze noted that Adeniyi’s achievements align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, positioning Customs as a key pillar of Nigeria’s economic governance
A former Editor at ThisDay newspapers and chief operating officer at the Leadership newspapers group, Eze, has said that the appointment of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2023 has transformed the agency into one of the country’s most efficient institutions.
The commendation is coming shortly after the NCS took centre stage at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) International Business Conference and Expo 2025, where it showcased digital trade solutions.
Source: Twitter
The event held in Lagos on Tuesday, August 26, marked its first-ever participation in the high-profile gathering themed "Invest Nigeria."
Speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, the Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Charles Orbih, said Customs’ presence at the event signals a new era of openness and innovation for the Service.
According to him, the Customs stand was designed to demonstrate how the Service is advancing trade facilitation and revenue collection through modern technologies.
Eze, a media consultant based in Abuja, noted that many observers saw President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s choice of Adeniyi as strategic, given his long experience within the system.
He said Adeniyi had since justified the president’s confidence, describing him as one of Nigeria’s most transformative public servants in recent history.
NCS' revenue collection surpasses targets
According to Eze, Adeniyi wasted no time in restructuring the agency’s framework by dismantling redundant strike force units, streamlining enforcement, and creating a Revenue Recovery Team.
These steps, he said, yielded immediate results, with customs revenue growing by 70 per cent within his first two months in office.
Eze explained that by the end of 2024, Customs had collected ₦6.1 trillion in revenue, surpassing its ₦5.08 trillion target and recording a 90.4 per cent increase from 2023.
He added that in the first quarter of 2025 alone, the agency collected ₦1.3 trillion compared to ₦600 billion in Q1 2023.
NCS: Digital transformation driving reforms
Source: UGC
Eze stated that Adeniyi had made technology the centrepiece of Customs operations.
He highlighted the rollout of B’Odogwu, a locally developed clearance platform, and the ongoing $3.2 billion E-Customs Modernisation Project, which is projected to generate $250 billion in the next 20 years.
He added that the National Single Window initiative had cut clearance time at Nigeria’s busiest ports from 21 days to 7–10 days, while the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme had introduced faster clearance for compliant businesses.
NCS hailed for wider economic impact in Nigeria
Eze said Adeniyi’s reforms had boosted trade volume handled by the Customs Service from ₦70.5 trillion in 2023 to ₦196.94 trillion in 2024, while non-oil exports rose by 38 per cent. He
added that enforcement had also improved, with ₦64 billion recovered from undervaluation cases and seizures worth ₦35.29 billion in 2024, including arms, narcotics, and smuggled goods.
He emphasised that the gains were achieved without tariff hikes, but through efficiency, reduced corruption, and smarter operations.
NCS reforms align with Tinubu’s agenda
Eze concluded that Adeniyi’s performance aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in areas of digital transformation, trade facilitation, and economic diversification.
He remarked that Adeniyi had repositioned Customs as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic governance, saying: “The Service today stands as proof of what is possible when leadership meets vision — and when vision is backed by action.”
Source: Legit.ng
