The Future of customs Is Here

… Discover The New Technology

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2023, many industry watchers saw the move as strategic.

As a seasoned officer with decades of experience, Adeniyi was a man groomed within the system, deeply knowledgeable about its bottlenecks and untapped potential.

In less than two years, he has not only justified the President’s confidence in him, but has also emerged as one of the most transformative public servants in Nigeria’s recent history.

Adeniyi’s tenure has ushered in a sweeping reformation of the Nigeria Customs Service—an institution long plagued by inefficiencies, opacity, and outdated processes. His leadership has been marked by a rare combination of administrative discipline, innovative thinking, and technological foresight. What is unfolding under his watch is nothing short of an economic revival story.

Upon assumption of office, he took bold steps to restructure the agency’s internal framework. He dismantled redundant strike force units, streamlined enforcement architecture, and established a dedicated Revenue Recovery Team.

These decisions were not just bureaucratic tinkering; they laid the foundation for a more coordinated and intelligent service.
The results were immediate. Within his first two months in office, Customs revenue grew by 70 percent, with the Service collecting ₦343 billion—far surpassing corresponding figures from the previous year. This was only a glimpse of what was to come.

By the end of 2024, the Customs Service had raked in an unprecedented ₦6.1 trillion in revenue, surpassing its ₦5.08 trillion target by over 20 percent and recording a staggering 90.4 percent increase from 2023 figures.

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the agency collected ₦1.3 trillion, more than double the ₦600 billion collected in Q1 2023. These figures speak not only to improved collection methods but to a fundamental change in how the institution now operates under Adeniyi’s stewardship.

Central to this turnaround has been the integration of modern technology into every facet of Customs operations.

Adeniyi championed the development and deployment of B’Odogwu, a Nigerian-built clearance platform that facilitated transactions worth over ₦31 billion in its pilot phase. But his most ambitious technological leap is the ongoing implementation of the $3.2 billion E-Customs Modernisation Project. Once fully operational, this digitized system is expected to generate $250 billion in revenue over the next 20 years and place Nigeria’s customs operations on par with international best practices.

Adeniyi has also pushed forward the implementation of the National Single Window—a unified platform that brings together all government agencies involved in port operations.

This reform alone has reduced cargo clearance time at Nigeria’s busiest ports from 21 days to just 7–10 days for compliant traders. His introduction of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme provides fast-track clearance to trusted businesses, improving compliance and easing legitimate trade.

Beyond digitization, Adeniyi has invested heavily in the training and reorientation of Customs personnel. Over 1,800 officers have been trained in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and risk profiling to align their capabilities with modern customs operations.

A further 5,000 officers have received hands-on training in the use of AI-powered scanners, satellite surveillance, and forensic tools to detect smuggling and other illicit trade activities. These efforts are transforming the Customs Service from a reactive enforcement agency into a proactive, intelligence-driven institution.

His emphasis on human capital also extends to international collaboration. The Nigeria Customs Service, under his leadership, has deepened ties with the China Customs Administration and other global partners to adopt emerging best practices.

Officers have participated in capacity-building programs on 5G-based inspections, virtual simulations, and digital customs operations. Nigeria is also positioning itself to become a training hub for West and Central Africa, with its Abuja training facility receiving regional recognition.

The impact of these reforms extends far beyond revenue collection. Trade volume handled by the NCS surged from ₦70.5 trillion in 2023 to ₦196.94 trillion in 2024—an increase of over 179 percent.

The Customs Service has also boosted formal non-oil exports, especially in agro and mineral commodities, with export revenue rising by 38 percent in 2024 alone. These gains have been achieved not by raising tariffs, but through greater efficiency, reduced corruption, and smarter operations—hallmarks of Adeniyi’s approach.

Enforcement has also been strengthened. Adeniyi’s Customs recovered over ₦64 billion from previously undervalued imports and made record-breaking seizures, including over 183,000 bags of smuggled rice, 900 firearms, narcotics, and illegal wildlife products. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of seized goods reached ₦35.29 billion in 2024, a 100 percent increase from the previous year.

Perhaps most significantly, the reforms under Adeniyi’s leadership are aligned with the broader objectives of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes digital transformation, trade facilitation, and economic diversification.

The Customs CG has become a linchpin in this vision, translating policy into measurable progress on the ground.

In less than two years, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has repositioned the Nigeria Customs Service as a cornerstone of economic governance.

Through visionary leadership, deep institutional reform, technological innovation, and strategic enforcement, he has delivered record revenues, unlocked trade bottlenecks, and restored public confidence in one of Nigeria’s most critical agencies.

President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for headhunting a leader of such calibre.

In choosing Adeniyi, he not only placed a reformist at the helm of Customs, but also affirmed his administration’s commitment to merit, competence, and results.

The Customs Service today stands as a testament to what is possible when leadership meets vision—and when vision is backed by action.

Nigeria is reaping the rewards.

Eze, a former Editor at THISDAY Newspapers and Chief Operating Officer at the Leadership Newspapers group, is a media consultant based in Abuja.