Customs

Litigation, suspicion stall implementation of E- Customs project

CGC, Ali

—As CGC Ali queries sincerity of House of Reps committee

Eyewitness reporter

Suspicion among the leading players in the execution of the E-Customs modernisation project may have stalled the final implementation of the multi-billion dollar project, three years after it was conceptualised.

It could be recalled that in 2019, the Federal government approved the engagement of a consortium of four firms to enter into a 20-year concession arrangement with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for a Customs modernisation project and establishment of digital and paperless Customs administration.

On September 2nd, 2020, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, ratified the NCS modernisation scheme estimated to cost about $3.1billion.

The presidential initiative on the NCS modernisation or “E-Customs Project” requires the establishment of a digital/paperless customs administration.

The government then approved the engagement of the consortium composed of Bionica Technologies West Africa, Bergan Security Consultants & Suppliers, Africa Finance Cooperation and Huawei to establish a project special purpose vehicle to enter into a 20-year concession arrangement with NCS and ICRC.

However, suspicion and misunderstanding among the Nigeria Customs Service, the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the concessionaires have dogged the implementation of the project.

It has also led to court cases from an aggrieved party in the project, Adani Mega System, who felt shortchanged in the process.

At the public hearing hosted by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Customs and Excise, Banking and Currency and Finance in Abuja on Monday to resolve the logjam, the session was also marred by an exchange of altercation between the Comptroller- General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali(rtd) who sent a representative and the committee members when the Customs lord makes a pass at the lawmakers.

In his presentation before the committee, the CGC, through his representative, the Assistant Comptroller General (ICT), Galadima Saidu, said he was curious that the House was resuscitating the issues on the project which the same committee had earlier treated and dispensed with.

Ali told the committee that the contractor; Adani Mega System Limited who was supposed to execute the project had been relieved of it.

In his submission, the CGC declared “investigations carried out by the Service revealed that Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited outsourced the agreement to an unauthorized third party Adani International Limited (UK) registered four months after the agreement was signed and the Company has since been dissolved ( Copy of the search result is hereby enclosed as Annex A).

“Therefore, the assertion by Adani Mega System Ltd that its international partner has a proven track record, capacity, expertise and competence to execute and operate within the project field covered by the agreement was false and misleading.

“It was upon the realization of this misrepresentation that the Committee on CISS canceled the agreement entered into with Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited, via a letter Ref:TED/DIR/GAM/GEN/Ol/OZS dated 18th September 2017 (Capy attached as Annex ‘B).

“It is worthy of note also that the House of Representatives Joint Committee On Finance, Customs and Public Petition passed a resolution suspending the Concession Agreement on e-Customs pending the outcome of an investigative hearing.

“The hearing was conducted and the Committee Vide a second letter NAS S/9/CHR/2019/JOINT/002 dated 20th December 2019 (Copy of the letter is hereby attached as Annex C) stated that after due consideration of the process towards the award, has found no breach in the award of the contract for the e-Customs Project.

“The committee recommended that the agreement be finalised and the Consortium awarded the Contract (Copy of the House Committee’s report is attached as Annex D). It is therefore curious that the same House is raising the issue over again.”

Apparently, the word “curious” as used by the Customs boss which was considered derogatory, unsettled the lawmakers, as a member of the Committee, Ndukwe Nkole, asked the Customs Comptroller General to withdraw the remark and tender an apology.

“The CG of customs in his address to this parliament, especially in paragraph 4, is very derogatory to the parliament and it is very wrong for a public officer, an appointed officer to address elected representatives, that he’s curious.

“So I demand that the CG of customs must apologise to this parliament for using such a derogatory statement on the parliament.”

However, rather than apologise, ACG Saidu, who represented the CGC, merely emphasised the importance of the project until he was prevailed upon by lawmakers before he reluctantly said “I apologise”.

At the same hearing on the “Need to Resolve the Debacle Between Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Technical Committee on Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and Adani Mega System Ltd Hindering the Take Off of Nigeria Customs Services E-Customs Modernization Project’, which was boycotted by the CBN, one of the leading parties to the project, the ministry of Finance informed the committee of how court cases have frustrated the take-off of the exercise.

In her presentation, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
Zainab Ahmed who was represented by the Director of Home Finance, Stephen Okon, informed the committee that the Finance Ministry was liaising with the Office of Attorney General to ensure quick resolution of the legal drawbacks so as to implement the project.

“There is no doubt, the pending cases are impeding the commencement of the E-Customs Project.

“In order to pave way for the take-off of the project, the ministry is liaising with the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure that the arbitration is speedily concluded.

“This we believe could settle all the pending matters and allow the E-Customs project to commence without further delay”,

However, the Chairman of the committee, Leke Abejide, told the gathering about the concerns of the lawmakers over the delay in the implementation of the project which he claimed is causing Nigeria the loss of about $8.810 billion annually.

He expressed the belief that if the project is properly implemented, it will go a long way in reducing Nigeria’s vulnerability to external debts and also strengthen its currency.

“The cost of concession implementation over a 20-year period is $3.1 billion American Dollars and the project is projected to generate about $176.2 billion American Dollars within the 20 years Concession period.

“We equally understood the SPV is to recover their investment based on negotiated and staggered recovery strong ratio from the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS),” he said.

However, the public hearing was adjourned to March 4, 2022, to allow Adani mega systems, the litigant and the remaining parties such as the CBN to present their own submissions to the committee.

Up Next

China warns nursing mothers not to feed their babies with certain Abbott infant formula products

Don't Miss

VIN crisis deepens as irate Customs brokers ground port activities

Click to comment

Customs

Customs PR officers dominate NCCSC graduation, clinch overall best honours

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The Public Relations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a rare academic feat as two of its officers emerged the top graduating students at the Nigeria Customs Service Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada.

At the graduation ceremony for Senior Course 14 held on Friday,June 26th, 2026, Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Ridwan Yusuf was named the Overall Best Graduating Student, capping an outstanding performance by winning three additional awards.

His colleague, CSC Nuruddeen Sa’idu, was named the Second Best Graduating Student, completing a remarkable sweep by officers from the Service’s Public Relations Unit.

The double honour highlights the intellectual depth, leadership capacity and professionalism within the Customs Public Relations Unit, demonstrating that its officers excel not only in strategic communication but also in administration, operational management and policy leadership.

Beyond the accolades, the achievement is expected to open another chapter in their careers, as both officers may be retained by the College as Directing Staff, in keeping with the institution’s tradition of engaging its highest-performing graduates to mentor future participants.

If confirmed, the appointments would recognise their exceptional academic and professional abilities while entrusting them with the responsibility of shaping the next generation of Customs leaders, although their absence would be keenly felt within the Public Relations Unit.

The Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Unit congratulated both officers on their outstanding accomplishments and wished them continued success as they assume greater responsibilities in service to the nation.

Customs

Retirement gale sweeps through Customs as Olomu,Bomodi,Oladeji,Adeola,Adebakin, Niagwan among 1,516 officers set to exit service

Funso OLOJO, Editor

A massive retirement wave is set to rip through the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), with no fewer than 1,516 officers — including several top-ranking officers — pencilled down to leave the Service in 2026 and 2027 in what appears to be one of the largest personnel exits in the agency’s recent history.

The impending retirement storm, which cuts across virtually all cadres of the Service, will see officers from the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General down to Customs Assistant II bow out under statutory retirement provisions, leaving a major vacuum in the upper and middle ranks of the paramilitary agency.

Documents obtained by TheEyewitnessnews show that 825 officers are scheduled to retire in 2026, while another 691 are expected to leave in 2027, bringing the total number of exits within the two-year period to 1,516.

The retirement notices are contained in two restricted circulars issued by the Human Resources and Development Department of the Service and signed by the Comptroller, Establishment, A.A. Bazuaye, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources and Development.
The first circular, No. HRD/2025/048 dated September 19, 2025, contains what the Service described as the final list of 825 officers billed to retire in 2026.

A breakdown of the 2026 list shows that the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre accounts for the highest number of exits with 285 officers, followed by the Superintendent of Customs cadre with 226 officers.

Other cadres affected in the 2026 retirement exercise are Assistant Superintendent of Customs I with 64 officers; Chief Customs Officer, 53; Deputy Customs Officer, 51; Assistant Customs Officer, 46; Chief Superintendent of Customs, 61; Inspector of Customs, eight; Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, 10; Customs Assistant I, one; Customs Assistant II, two; Assistant Comptroller-General, 13; and Deputy Comptroller-General, five.

A second circular, No. HRD/2026/020 dated May 26, 2026, forwarded a draft list of 691 officers due for statutory retirement in 2027.

The 2027 retirement schedule shows that the Superintendent of Customs cadre will record the highest number of exits with 200 officers, followed by the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre with 193 officers.

Others on the 2027 list are Deputy Customs Officer, 81; Chief Superintendent of Customs, 68; Assistant Customs Officer, 57; Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, 39; Chief Customs Officer, 38; Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, four; Customs Assistant I, four; Customs Assistant II, four; Inspector of Customs, two; and Assistant Comptroller-General, four.

Both circulars directed all affected officers to proceed on mandatory pre-retirement leave in line with Public Service Rule 100238 and Federal Government Circular No. 63216/S.1/X/T; CR 1/2001/5 of March 20, 2001.

The directive stated that all officers due for retirement must disengage from active service and proceed on three months’ pre-retirement leave ahead of their effective retirement dates, while also forwarding their three-month pre-retirement notices to the Comptroller-General of Customs.

Among the senior officers affected in the 2026 retirement exercise are Deputy Comptrollers-General Omale (SVC No. 41148), who retired on June 7, 2026; Nnadi (SVC No. 43193), whose retirement took effect on March 3, 2026; Chiroma (SVC No. 42988), who is due to retire on September 23, 2026; and Adeola MRS (SVC No. 42972) and Niagwan (SVC No. 41524), both scheduled to retire on December 23, 2026.

Among the Assistant Comptrollers-General on the 2026 retirement list are Egwuh (SVC No. 38991), who retired on March 14, 2026; Umoh (SVC No. 41351), who exited the Service on February 2, 2026; Mohammed (SVC Nos. 41394 and 41395), both due to retire on June 24, 2026; and Abe (SVC No. 41110), whose retirement date is August 21, 2026.

Others listed for retirement include Olomu (SVC No. 41145), Olaniyan (SVC No. 41197), Yusuf (SVC No. 41257), Oladeji (SVC No. 41308) and Gaji (SVC No. 41328), all scheduled to retire on September 24, 2026.
Also on the list are Adebakin (SVC No. 41670) and Bomodi (SVC No. 42758), both due for retirement on September 23, 2026, as well as Nyam (SVC No. 40428) and Abubakar (SVC No. 40139), whose retirement dates are October 1, 2026, among others.

In the 2027 circular, the Service opened a window for complaints and corrections, directing that any observed error, omission or legitimate complaint arising from the attached retirement list should be forwarded to the office of the Deputy Comptroller-General, Human Resources and Development, on or before July 31, 2026.

To ensure the notices get to all affected officers, Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers and Unit Heads were directed to circulate the retirement lists across commands and formations.

But beyond the raw figures, the sweeping retirement exercise has exposed a deeper structural imbalance in the Service.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, Abejide Leke Joseph, traced the development to a prolonged recruitment gap and years of promotion stagnation in the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to him, a 16-year period of non-recruitment created an unusual personnel bulge, as officers within the 41000, 42000 and 43000 service number brackets rose through the ranks almost at the same pace and now find themselves hitting retirement age or service limits within the same window.

The result, he explained, is a top-heavy structure in which a large number of officers now occupy similar seniority levels and are due to leave almost simultaneously.
Abejide said the retirement of more than 1,500 officers should not be misconstrued as part of any succession plot within the Customs hierarchy, insisting that the exercise is a routine and legally mandated process under Public Service Rule 100238.

The development is coming against the backdrop of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of a final six-month tenure extension for the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, effectively keeping him in office until February 2027.
The Presidency announced on Friday that Adeniyi’s tenure, earlier scheduled to expire on August 1, 2026, had been extended by another six months to enable him complete key reforms in the Service.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said the extension would allow the Customs boss to consolidate the implementation of the National Single Window project and also ensure an orderly succession process in the Service.

More significantly, the statement made it clear that Adeniyi would work with the Nigeria Customs Service Board during the transition period to oversee critical personnel decisions, including the promotion of eligible officers to the rank of Comptroller and the compulsory retirement of officers who have attained 60 years of age or put in 35 years in service.

That presidential directive effectively places Adeniyi at the centre of one of the most consequential personnel transitions in the recent history of the Nigeria Customs Service — a transition that will shape not only the next generation of Customs leadership, but also the internal balance of power within the Service.

Customs

Excitement as President Tinubu Extends CGC Adeniyi’s Tenure by Six Months

Funso OLOJO, Editor

A wave of excitement swept through the maritime industry following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of a six-month extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi.

In a statement issued on June 19th, 2026, and signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu said the extension was necessary to enable Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms, particularly the implementation of the National Single Window project, while also ensuring an orderly succession process within the service.

According to the Presidency, Adeniyi’s current tenure was due to expire on August 1st, 2026.

The six-month extension will now keep him in office until February 2027.

During the transition period, Adeniyi is expected to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service Board to oversee the promotion of qualified officers to the rank of Comptroller of Customs and facilitate the compulsory retirement of officers who have attained the statutory retirement age of 60 years or completed 35 years in service.

Adeniyi joined the Nigeria Customs Service after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University in the late 1980s.

He steadily rose through the ranks, becoming a Deputy Comptroller in 2012, Comptroller in 2017, Assistant Comptroller-General in 2020, and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023 before being appointed Comptroller-General by President Tinubu in June 2023.

Maritime stakeholders who welcomed the development described the extension as an opportunity for the Customs boss to complete the far-reaching reforms he initiated within the service.

One freight forwarder, who preferred anonymity, described the decision as a positive development.

“This is a welcome development because it will enable the Comptroller-General to complete the reforms he has started in the Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.

“His tenure has been a watershed in the history of the NCS.

“The service has witnessed unprecedented transformation in its operations, revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling activities.

“Granting him an extension is a well-thought-out administrative decision by President Tinubu to allow him to complete these achievements.”

Another stakeholder said the extension reflects the confidence of the Presidency in Adeniyi’s leadership.

“The tenure extension is a clear endorsement of Adeniyi’s transformative leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service and the progress recorded under his administration,” the stakeholder remarked.

Industry observers believe the extension will provide continuity for ongoing modernization initiatives and help sustain the momentum of reforms aimed at enhancing trade facilitation, revenue collection, and border security.