Customs

MBA Musa: a silent working machine at Tin Can Customs

By Eyewitness Reporter

His mien gives him away as a harmless, non-assuming introvert.

But beneath his calm look lies a tough, determined and uncompromising work attitude that has distinguished the Tin Can command of the Nigeria Customs service as one of the biggest revenue baskets of the service.

Musa Baba Abdulahi(MBA), the Customs Area Comptroller of the Tin Can command, bestrides the command like a gentle giant.

He presides over the command reputed as the second cash cow for the Nigeria Customs Service with unassuming dexterity and clinical efficiency.

Musa is not given to publicity. He hardly grants press interviews.

He loathes calling the press to flaunt his achievements at the command.

He believes that aspect is better handled by his equally versatile Public Relations Officer, Uche Ejesieme, who has equally mastered and emulated the work ethics of his boss.

While he leaves the talking to his spokesman, Musa marshals his officers to do the work he was mandated: revenue collection, trade facilitation, discouragement of anti- illicit practices such as importation of contraband and seamless Customs operations.

He believes his works and achievements are enough to publicise him.

So, while his colleagues enjoy generous publicity, Musa daily buries his head in his works, churning out impressive results which have consistently screamed the name of the command to the hearing of his superior officers at Abuja.

His consistent impressive performance at the command has however adequately compensated for his almost anonymity at the unit.

No wonder his no-nonsense boss, Col. Hammed Ali, the Comptroller-General of Customs, seems to have ” forgotten” to redeploy him from the command as the case of other area Comptrollers whom he changes at will.Against the norm of high mortality of the tenures of Area Comptrollers at the Commands, Musa has spent three years two months so far as the helmsman of the Tin Can Command.

And the CGC seems not in a hurry to look in his direction for a change yet except when it is time for his elevation to the next rank.

Whoever knows the practice of the CGC who shuffles his field commanders at the drop of his hat, then the ‘ long’ and running tenure of Musa is a feat “unheard of” under the administration of Col. Ali.

While all other commands, especially the ‘grade A’ commands, have experienced multiple turnovers of the CACs in the past years, the Tin Can Command has enjoyed relative stability in terms of changes in helmsmen since February 2018 when Musa berthed at the Tin Can Command.

But it would be fallacious to assume that the eagle- eye, highly mobile CGC overlooked or ‘forgot’ to include Musa in the litany of redeployments that have come to characterise his administration, but it seems Musa is “playing the match according to the match plan” of his coach.

In football, you don’t change a winning team.

At his resumption of office as the CGC in September 2015, Hameed Ali pointedly told his senior officers in Abuja about his unambiguous mission to the Customs.

“I have come to carry out the mandate of Mr. President to reform Customs, to restructure Customs, and to increase the revenue generation.

“I don’t think that is ambiguous. I don’t think that is cumbersome. It is precise and I believe that is what all of you are here to do” the CGC had then said six years ago.

So Musa has stayed this long because he knew and mastered the rules of engagement.

Statistics show why Musa has wormed his way into the heart of his boss, a feat that is almost inconceivable given the deadpan expression the CGC always wears which gives him away as someone who doesn’t indulge in needless emotions.

When he was redeployed from the office of the CGC to Tin Can Command on February 1st, 2018, Musa had a clear understanding of his vision and mission to the command.

“Part of my key mandates includes trade facilitation, driving of seamless ease of doing business, provision of coordinating roles in port operations, and strict maintenance of national security at the ports.

“The Command will continue to maintain lead in revenue generation which remains a core function of the Customs,” he said at his maiden press conference in 2018.

This has therefore been the driving force of MBA since he berthed at the Tin Can command where he has consolidated on revenue generation, trade facilitation, capacity building, and cordial working relationship with other stakeholders through constant engagement that has resulted in seamless operations.

In 2018 when he took over, he met N62 billion in the revenue coffers bequeathed to him by his predecessor out of the N354 billion target for that year.

But he went on to surpass the revenue projection.

In 2019, he brushed aside the N342 billion revenue target with more than N4 billion in excess when the command generated N346.508 billion.

Expectedly, the command was greatly challenged in its 2020 revenue drive due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic which affected importations.

Ironically, that was the year the command, relying on its track records of revenue successes, confidently raised the N504 billion target given to it by the Customs headquarters to N540 billion, which was about 70 percent higher than the previous year’s.

The command started on a brighter revenue note in 2021 despite the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic when it raked in N112.7 billion within the first three months of the year, a figure that was N21.1 billion higher than the N91.6 billion realised within the same period in 2020.

“The comparative analysis of quarter one revenue collection from 2018 to 2021 are as follows: in 2018, N76,789,721,107.42; in 2019, N78,857,106,168.27; and in 2020, N91,635,998,490.73,” the customs boss said

“This improvement is despite the twin threat to lives and livelihood posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The command has inspired their officers to continue to work hard while observing all the safety measures to achieve the best of performance.

“We kept our lines of communication open and concerted effort was made to ensure that the supply chain is not disrupted,” Musa said of the geometric increase in revenue performance since he took over.

The success of Musa lies in his heavy deployment of technology to track revenue, plug revenue leakages, and reduce excessive physical contacts between officers and the trading public which he believes will minimise corruption.

He also put much emphasis on building human capacity as he believes well-trained and motivated officers will enhance efficient service delivery.

As a result, officers are being trained on a regular basis on some of the core functions of the customs in the areas of classification, risk management, and data management, the areas in which Musa himself is well versed as a Mining Engineer who joined the service as a Cadet Officer in 1990, and had undergone several trainings in Valuation and Classification, which are the core duties of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Trade facilitation holds as much passion for Musa as revenue generation.

This was why at his resumption of duties in 2018, he reinvigorated the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) which he personally heads, and made his PRO the deputy to sit daily and resolve all issues arising from valuation within six hours.

This was unlike the previous arrangement when the committee sat two times a week.

He also deployed and beefed up the Time Release study tool to determine the actual time required for the release and clearance of goods right from the time the cargo arrives to the physical release from Customs’ control.

Time Release study was a strategic tool that was capable of identifying bottlenecks in the trade value chain and creating an enabling environment for effective and efficient customs operations.

Musa made judicious use of all these tools and methods which create a conducive, customers- friendly environment that facilitate the quick clearance of goods and which in turn boosts his revenue drive.

Customs

KLT Customs reaffirms commitment to stronger maritime stakeholder engagement

Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter
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‎The Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller Bolaji Adigun, has reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to deepening engagement with stakeholders across the maritime industry in line with efforts to promote trade facilitation, transparency, and sustainable economic growth.
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‎Adigun gave the assurance through the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Administration, Comptroller T.A. Jonah, who represented him during a courtesy visit by the newly elected Executive Committee of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) to the Command in Lagos.
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‎The Acting CAC, who was unavoidably absent, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and key industry stakeholders, particularly the maritime media, in advancing the Service’s mandate and supporting national economic development.
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‎He described the media as a critical partner in disseminating information on government policies, customs reforms, trade facilitation initiatives, revenue generation, and anti-smuggling operations.
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‎According to him, maritime journalists occupy a strategic position in shaping public understanding and perception of activities within the port and maritime sector, stressing the need for professionalism, accuracy, and balanced reportage in the discharge of their duties.
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‎Adigun further assured the MARAN delegation that the KLT Area Command would continue to operate an open-door policy while fostering cordial and productive relationships with stakeholders within the maritime community.
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‎Earlier in his remarks, the President of MARAN, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, stated that the visit formed part of the association’s ongoing stakeholder engagement initiative following the inauguration of its newly elected executive committee.
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‎Onigbinde explained that the purpose of the visit was to formally introduce the new leadership of the association to the Command and strengthen the longstanding relationship between MARAN and the Nigeria Customs Service.
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‎He commended the KLT Area Command for its contributions to trade facilitation, revenue generation, and enforcement activities, describing the Command as a vital component of Customs operations within Nigeria’s port system.
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‎The MARAN President also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to professional, objective, and development-driven journalism, noting that maritime reporters play a significant role in promoting informed discourse on issues affecting the industry.
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‎He further assured the Command of MARAN’s continued support for initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness within Nigeria’s maritime sector through responsible and factual reporting.

Customs

“You are worthy ambassador of Osun State” Oni of Ife eulogies Adeniyi’s leadership of Customs

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi II, has eulogized the sterling qualities of Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller- General of Customs, for his revolutionary leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The first class Yoruba monarch made the commendation on Thursday, 28th May 2026, during the annual Eid-el-Kabir gathering hosted by the Comptroller-General at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.

The Oni, who cited President Bola Tinubu’s public commendation of Adeniyi as evidence of the confidence reposed in the Customs boss, described him as a good ambassador of Osun State and a source of pride to the ancient Ife Kingdom and the Modakeke community.

Oba Ogunwusi said President Tinubu’s public expression of satisfaction with Adeniyi’s performance reflected confidence in his leadership and the results being achieved by the Service.

“We are very proud of him and the work he is doing. When Mr President publicly expressed satisfaction with his performance, it was not a casual statement.

” It reflects trust in his capacity and the results he is delivering. What he is doing in the Customs Service and in the community shows that he is a unifier.”

Reaffirming the support of the Ife Kingdom for the Comptroller-General, the monarch declared:

“He brings people together, and that is what leadership is about. We will continue to stand by him and pray for him.”

Addressing guests, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the Ooni of Ife, community leaders, family members, friends, associates, and well-wishers for their continued support.

He described Eid-el-Kabir as a season that reminds humanity of the virtues of sacrifice, gratitude, obedience, and service to others.

According to him, beyond the celebration, the gathering provides an opportunity to reconnect with people, strengthen relationships, and reflect on the collective responsibility of building stronger communities and a better nation.

The CGC noted that the NCS has continued to record significant progress in revenue generation, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling operations, technological innovation, and corporate social responsibility initiatives in line with the economic objectives of the Federal Government.

He said the Service remains focused on supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu through reforms aimed at facilitating legitimate trade, enhancing national security, improving compliance, and creating opportunities for economic growth.

CGC Adeniyi added that Customs has continued to invest in community-focused interventions across the country, including educational support programmes, healthcare initiatives, and other projects designed to improve the lives of Nigerians.

He pledged that the Service would continue to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its operations and delivering greater value to the nation, while assuring stakeholders of Customs’ commitment to professionalism, transparency, and service excellence.

Adeniyi also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and assured Nigerians of the Service’s continued support for government policies geared towards economic prosperity and national development.

Customs

World Bank strengthens Customs capacity in post clearance Audit in two- week capacity building exercise

Gloria Odion, maritime reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a two-week Technical Assistance Mission on Post Clearance Audit (PCA) in collaboration with the World Bank Group under the Accelerated Revenue Mobilisation Reform (ARMOR) Programme, aimed at strengthening compliance management, revenue assurance, and trade facilitation through modern audit practices.

The workshop, which runs from June 1 to June 12, 2026, is taking place at the Service’s Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Assistant Comptroller-General , Babatunde Olomu, described the mission as a significant step in advancing the Service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening its capacity as a technology-driven, intelligence-led, and globally competitive customs administration.

He noted that modern customs administrations increasingly rely on intelligence-led, risk-based, and post-clearance interventions that promote voluntary compliance while supporting legitimate trade and economic growth.

According to him, the mission offers an opportunity to assess existing processes, identify operational gaps, adopt international best practices, and develop practical solutions to strengthen the Post Clearance Audit framework.

Olomu identified risk-based targeting, case management, registry management, quality assurance, standardisation, and integrated audit systems as key areas of focus.

He emphasised that effective Post Clearance Audit enables Customs to move beyond transaction-based controls to a strategic compliance management approach that enhances revenue assurance, facilitates legitimate trade, strengthens transparency, and boosts public confidence.

“This mission presents a valuable opportunity to critically assess our existing processes, identify gaps, learn from international best practices, and develop practical solutions that will strengthen our PCA framework and overall compliance management system.” he stated.

The ACG commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to modernisation and capacity building and also appreciated the World Bank and other development partners for their sustained support for Customs reforms.

He urged participants to actively engage throughout the programme and ensure that lessons learned are translated into measurable improvements in daily operations.

Speaking at the event, World Bank Task Team Lead, Moses Kajubi, said the mission is designed to strengthen the capacity of Post Clearance Audit officers through modern customs practices, practical audit tools, and internationally recognised methodologies.

He explained that participants would be exposed to global best practices, case management techniques, and compliance management strategies that can be adapted to Nigeria’s operational environment.

Kajubi stressed the importance of leveraging technology, structured case management systems, and data-driven decision-making to improve audit quality, compliance monitoring, and trade facilitation outcomes.

“This engagement will equip participants with practical tools and global best practices that can be applied directly in the field to improve the effectiveness of Post Clearance Audit operations.”He stated.

He expressed confidence that the engagement would strengthen institutional capacity and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Customs Service’s modernisation objectives.

Lead Consultant for the ARMOR-P, Colonel Aloke Dutt, said the mission seeks to enhance trade facilitation, optimise revenue, and improve compliance management through a more structured and unified approach to Post Clearance Audit.

He emphasised the need for standardised audit methodologies, effective monitoring mechanisms, and the integration of data analytics into audit processes to improve accountability and operational efficiency.

Dutt also highlighted the importance of leveraging technology-driven solutions such as the B’Odogwu platform and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support a competency-based audit system across the Service.

During a technical session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Muhammad Jubril, demonstrated the Post Clearance Audit process on the B’Odogwu platform, explaining how officers can initiate audit reviews using Harmonised Commodity codes and other risk indicators.

In his closing remarks, Comptroller Muhammad Shattima encouraged participants to maximise the opportunities provided by the workshop and apply the knowledge gained to achieve the strategic objectives of the NCS.