Customs
Adeniyi’s odyssey: 100 days of reformative leadership as Customs boss
His partnership with professionals and global experts is geared towards making informed decisions that will promote trade facilitation, security, and operational effectiveness.
This 100-day voyage has proven CGC Adewale’s unrelenting commitment to unlocking NCS’s full potential, which is hinged on his policy thrust of Collaboration, Consultation and Innovation.
COLLABORATION
The NCS is tasked with three core mandates, which are: robust revenue generation, suppressing smuggling and trade facilitation.
Experts noted that these mandates can be optimally achieved through deliberate, revolutionary, collaborative engagements with stakeholders, at home and abroad, besides leveraging the deployment of cutting-edge technology.
Upon his appointment, CGC Adeniyi has stressed collaboration with international partners, local law enforcement agencies, government agencies (MDAs), Media and other countries’ customs administrations
He said, “As we embark on this new journey, we recognize the need for collaboration and partnerships.
“We will strengthen these partnerships and engage with stakeholders through revitalized platforms.
NCS’ PARTNERSHIP WITH FOREIGN BODIES/COUNTRIES
The Acting CG has engaged in strategic discussions with partners such as the WCO, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan Customs Administration.
The NCS Laboratory will provide comprehensive solutions to address challenges such as counterfeit goods, smuggling, and non-compliant imports, thereby bolstering revenue generation and ensuring the protection of public health and safety.
His engagements extended to fruitful discussions with relevant experts and donors, focusing on crucial areas such as conducting a Time Release Study (TRS), implementing the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program, leadership, and management development.
On Tuesday, 12th September 2023, The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, expressed his commitment to synergize with the Benin Republic to enhance trans-border security and regulate trade between the two countries.
This was disclosed when he officially received Senior Officers of Benin Customs, led by their Director-General, Alain Hinkati, at the Nigeria Customs Headquarters Abuja, in continuation of their two-day interactive session.
The session, which started on Monday, 11th September 2023, in Abuja, aimed at deepening the relationship between Nigeria and Benin while promoting their age-old bilateral trade ties.
Other areas that the partnership will address include enhancing the proper use of International Transit Guidelines to govern transit-bound goods and fees from Cotonou Port to Nigeria; Integration of Nigeria into the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit
He said the treaty between the two Agencies “will prepare the way for an in-depth mechanism to harmonize the import prohibition lists of products banned by the two countries.
Meanwhile, the joint communiqué signed by the Ag. Comptroller-General of the Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and Director-General of the Bennese Customs, Alain Hinkati, highlighted that their meeting favours the desire of the two countries’ presidents: Bola Ahmad Tinubu and Patrice Talon to strengthen the shared commitment to enhancing trade facilitation and promoting economic development.
Other areas that will benefit the countries are fostering closer ties to Nigeria and Benin and reactivating the joint committee for monitoring trade and transit relations.
The Ag. CGC has also affirmed his partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN—Habitat, to Combat Smuggling.
The CGC stated this on Tuesday, 19 September 2023, when he received Ambassadors of the UN—Habitat, led by Dr. Raymond Edoh, at the Customs Headquarters, Abuja.
The CGC appreciated the collaborative effort between the Nigeria Customs Service and UN—Habitat and believes that the collaboration signifies a commitment to tackling smuggling and enhancing trade facilitation in the nation, setting the stage for a more prosperous future.
The CGC said, “What we’re trying to do is to raise a modern Customs Service through partnering with stakeholders to achieve our goals because we value partnership, and I am happy that you extended your hands of collaboration to work with us.”
On his part, the Director of UN—Habitat, Dr. Raymond Edoh, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reposing the responsibility of heading the Nigeria Customs Service on the Acting Comptroller-General, describing him as “a competent Customs officer who knows the terrain and masters the job.”
UN-Habitat is the United Nations entity responsible for developing urban policies and translating them into action to create sustainable cities and promote viable urban development and adequate shelter for all.
PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITH MDAs, STATE GOVERNMENTS, MEDIA
At the meeting, The Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi stressed the need to implement policies that create sufficient space at the ports.
The Permanent Secretary also assured the CGC that overtime cargo disposal committee is working assiduously to implement policies that will decongest the four major ports in the country. “we are working in different dimensions, but the result will be prodigious, after launching sensitization exercise to stakeholders and members of the ports community about the process.” She said.
The Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Tuesday, 11 July 2023, paid a courtesy visit to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at his Office in Abuja to seek Support on Border Security.
“The porous nature of the nation’s borders necessitates this visit to the NSA to fashion the best way to tackle the menace of smuggling, which has adverse effects on our economy and security,” the CGC stated.
In a bid to strengthen the working relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Media, the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi met with Customs Area Controllers in Zone ‘A’ and the Guild of Editors in Lagos on Sunday, 16th July 2023.
In his remarks, the Ag. CGC noted that the Service has made remarkable progress in different areas over the years and will be soliciting the support, guidance and collaboration of the Media while at the helm of affairs of the Service.
“We will be open to collaborating with our partners in bringing more comprehensive reports to let Nigerians know what our challenges are, what the gaps are, what we can do to bridge those gaps to improve border security and, generally, Nigeria”, he said.
In his speech, the President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, congratulated the Customs Boss on his appointment and assured them of their support while noting the importance of Communication.
“Your coming on board is a refreshing development, and I am sure we will enjoy such interactions on behalf of my colleagues. I assure you that if you continue this way, the Nigeria Customs Service will have it good in the media”, he said.
In the same vein, the Ag. CGC also had dinner with Public Relations Officers in Zone A’, as well as maritime journalists in Lagos Ikeja.
He assured them of an open-door policy and the need for cooperation and partnership in steering the affairs of the Service.
“I will open my doors to you; it’s going to be an open governance system; you will have the opportunity to contribute, to check the directions in which the customs would go while I am in charge”. He concluded.
Still in the spirit of collaboration, the CGC on Friday, 21st July 2023, during his official visit to Seme and Badagry Environs, urged local communities to support Law Enforcement Agencies in enhancing border security
His first port of call was the Palace of the Akran of Badagry Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, De Wheno Aholu, Menu-Toyi I.
According to him, Customs Officers who have served in Badagry have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the people of Badagry.
From the palace, the Ag. CGC and his entourage moved to Seme Area Command, where he was welcomed by a large crowd who defied the rain, including Officers and Men of the Command, Hon. Joseph Gbenu, Chairman, Badagry West LCDA, representatives from Customs Krake, Federal Republic of Benin, representatives from sister Agencies, Royal fathers, stakeholders, as well as community leaders.
The Ag. CGC, while calling for synergy among sister Agencies and community leaders, said, “We must draw strength from the complementarity of our operations and, of course, our traditional rulers, always being there to guarantee the support of the communities that we serve”.
“National security is the business of every citizen. It should not be for only Security Agencies, so as we make life easier for business, I want to charge you all to make life and the work of our Security Agencies easier”, he said.
Considering the fact that Lagos controls 70 to 75 percent of NCS’ total revenue collection, the Ag. CGC, on Tuesday, 25th July 2023, paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and pledged a partnership with the state government.
He assured the Governor of the Services’ commitment to operate within the framework of the law and supported his drive to make Lagos a mega city.
He said, “We just secured presidential approval to undertake decongestion at our ports, using a combination of public auction and transferring some of the containers to the Government Warehouse in Ikorodu.
“I’ve visited all the facilities, and very soon, while working with all the stakeholders, we will be able to kickstart this process and create the space necessary inside the port and around the premises of the port”, he added.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also pledged to provide a good working environment for businesses to thrive. He hinted that approval for a Badagry port had been secured.
“I also need to inform you that there’s an approval for a Badagry port. The whole idea is to build strategic infrastructure for our citizens; Lekki is on the eastern part, Badagry is on the western part so that we can decongest Apapa and Tin-can that have stretched their capacity”, he noted.
In what seems like one of the most productive collaborations towards enhancing national security and curbing revenue loss, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) commenced an intensive vehicle database integration of the two government agencies.
The collaboration was effected during the official visit of the Acting Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu, at the national headquarters of the Commission.
Speaking during the visit, the Acting-Comptroller General emphasised NCS’s renewed commitment towards working together with the Corps in the area of human resource development, information and communication technology, as well as sports.
He stated, among others, that a handshake and effective consolidation of existing vehicle information in the National Vehicle Identification Scheme database domiciled with the FRSC and vehicle database of the NCS will curb vehicle smuggling, improve revenue generation and enhance national security.
While responding to the Comptroller-General, the Corps Marshal applauded the initiative, stating that the handshake and data sharing would not only strengthen the bond between the two agencies but also positively impact the fight against the smuggling of vehicles.
Biu stated emphatically that the collaboration will also entrench ease of doing business as it will make tracking vehicles without customs duty certificates very easy for the Corps at the point of registration.
On Thursday, 3rd August 2023, the Customs Boss visited the Ag. Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. The visit sought inter-agencies’ cooperation and collaboration to fast-track sustainable working relationships between the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Police Force to ensure adequate security of lives and properties in the country.
Addressing the leadership of the Force, the Ag. CGC Adeniyi assured the IGP that Nigeria Customs is willing to learn more from the Nigeria Police Force in investigation and other operations through coordinated capacity-building programs.
“Criminal activities are inter-connected, thus a need for the two security agencies to collaborate to mitigate the menace of smuggling, which will help the Nigeria Customs Service to generate revenue for the nation. I will therefore request to build a strong relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Police Force.” The CGC said.
He said the major issues that bother the two organizations can be mitigated through sharing intelligence to help achieve a common goal in the fight against criminals.
In his remarks, the Ag. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun described the CGC’s visit to the Force Headquarters as timely, affirming his readiness to unanimously establish a solid working bond with the Nigeria Customs Service.
Just after the decision by President Ahmed Tinubu to shut down the borders, the Customs Boss visited the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, to Solicits Cooperation of Border Communities
He emphasized that while implementing the closure of the Jibia border, the Service will also devote energy to sensitize members of the communities on the reason behind the decision.
Responding, the Katsina State Deputy Governor, Farouk Lawal, who represented Governor Dikko Umaru Radda at the meeting, welcomed the Ag. CGC and assured him of his unflinching support.
The CGC pledged renewed collaboration with Yobe State to ensure the state continues to benefit from the Service. He also Strengthened Customs Community Relations in Oyo while Charging Indigenes to Embrace Locally Made Goods.
Customs also Synergized with Borno State Government to Re-establish Cross-border Trade in the Northeastern part of Nigeria.
Speaking on enhancing community relations, the CGC said, “Moving forward, we will need your support to engage with members of the border communities in Borno, especially as the insurgency has been degraded. We will build on the good relationship that we have and leverage on it to re-establish a good relationship with Cameroon and, of course, the Southern part of Chad.”
He has also expressed the readiness of his management team to collaborate with the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) in the fight against the trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Recall that the Service has, in the second week of August 2023, succeeded in intercepting over 1,000 live ammunition concealed in 203 bags of foreign rice in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital.
The Customs Boss, who appreciated the National Coordinator for leading his team to visit the Service’s Headquarters to knot ties with him, also emphasized the need to venture more into intelligence and data sharing.
He disclosed that it was done to also allow for more accountability and reduce multiple checkpoints. He ordered all arms, records, and operational vehicles to be submitted to the FOUs.
The Ag. CG also inspected the proposed 100 Hectares of land for the Federal Operations Unit A, Government Warehouse and Customs Training School, close to the Ogun Agro International Airport Project Site, on Monday, 7th August, 2023.
In asserting the relevance and authority of the Zonal Headquarter, Adewale Adeniyi said the office will be relocated and given a face-lift after 48 years.
On the Officer’s welfare, he assured that some gaps in the area of insurance would be bridged and more accommodation would be provided for the officers.
Similarly, the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, following his tour to the Kaduna Area Command, paid a sightseeing visit to Customs Primary School, Barnawa, to assess the condition of the facility with the aim of renovating the school.
This aligns with his efforts to promote education through Customs’ Social Program to the society.
Speaking to the School’s Assistant Headmaster, Adeshina Fatai, the CGC vowed to address both the short, medium and long-term needs of the school to create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service, under his leadership, will view the problem at a superficial level and will do its best to raise the spirit of the school to educate the wards of the residents properly.
The Ag. CGC, on Monday, 14th August, extended a hand of fellowship to Dorian Home in Akure, Ondo State, an Orphanage home for Charity and Social Development.
According to him, the service has a responsibility to support and assist communities where they operate and carry out their mandates. Dorian Home has the structure, commitment and passion to drive its objectives.
He said the home has a capacity for almost a thousand kids, as there will be a need to feed, clothe and administer the proper medication to them. He assured of the assistance of the Service to the home.
The Customs CG also pledged his support to establish Customs primary and Secondary Schools Nationwide; he pledged after receiving the COWA delegation led by the National President and Wife of the CGC, Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi.
The Ag. Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, 7th September 2023, performed a groundbreaking ceremony for the massive construction of Customs Service Zone B Headquarters.
The extraordinary edifice of 25 hectares of land situated in the Mando area of Kaduna State is part of CGC’s unalloyed commitment to improve the welfare and efficiency of the Service.
Speaking at the ceremony, the CGC described the initiative as a magnificent project that will pave the way to establishing a solid and efficient infrastructure to drive the activities of the Service.
In a significant development on the facilitation of trade, the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, took decisive action in response to selected Authorized Dealer Banks failing to meet Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) related to Customs Duty and statutory charge remittances.
This decision followed a thorough audit and due process, aligning with the NCS’s commitment to upholding transparency, accountability, and efficiency in revenue collection.
The primary objective is to ensure the accurate and timely remittance of Customs duties and other essential funds for national development.
Despite the deactivation of these banks, the Comptroller-General of Customs implemented measures to minimize disruptions for importers and stakeholders within the trading ecosystem. He assures the trading community that all pending assessments will undergo clearance processes in line with international best practices.
Importers who previously relied on the deactivated banks for duty payments were advised to utilize other Authorized Dealer Banks that comply with NCS regulations. Stakeholders encountering challenges with a particular bank are encouraged to use alternatives that function appropriately.
The deactivated banks will have the opportunity to be reactivated once they meet all regulatory requirements and settle outstanding remittances. Collaborative efforts with financial regulators and stakeholders are underway to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the Customs Duty Collection system.
The most recent of his strategy is the organizational reshufflement. The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, made strategic appointments and announced a significant redeployment within the Customs department.
In a press statement signed on the 6th of September, 2023, the Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations officer, stated that the appointment and redeployment are aimed at ensuring operational efficiency.
According to the statement, Comptrollers Florence Nanu Ogar-Modey and Queen Ogbudu have been appointed Acting Assistant Comptroller Generals Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and Zonal Coordinator Zone B, respectively, while some of the Comptrollers redeployed to various Customs formations, include; Compt. Jaiyeoba Jide from Oyo/Osun Area Command to Apapa Area Command, Compt. Dera Nnadi from Seme to Tin-Can Island Port, Compt. Timi Bomodi from KLT to Seme, Compt. Ahmed Abe from PCA Zone ‘C’ to Kaduna Area Command and Compt. Babandede Mohammad from Lilypond Export Command to Lagos Free Trade Zone Command.
In addition to the redeployment, Compt. Dauda Ibrahim Chana from Investigation Headquarters to Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Compt. Martina Tilleygyado from Non-Intrusive Inspection to KLT Area Command, Compt. Oloyode Adekunle from Tin-Can Island Port to Import &/Export Headquarters while Compt. Zanna Chiroma will be leaving Import & Export for PCA Zone ‘C, among many others.
The Customs boss congratulated the newly appointed and redeployed officers as well as charged them to put more effort into achieving the service’s core mandates of Revenue Generation, Suppression of Smuggling, and Trade Facilitation.
THE ACTING CGC’s CONSULTATION STRATEGIES
Recall that he was attending the Policy Commission and Council meetings of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Brussels, Belgium when the announcement of his appointment as the Ag.CGC was made in June 2023.
The Acting CGC has held strategic alliances and talks with partners to promote good relationships and service efficiency.
The Acting CGC underscores the need to promote dialogue across all levels, which would resolve disputes and advance mutually beneficial solutions for efficient and effective service.
Furthermore, the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, on Wednesday, 20th September 2023, reiterated that the Service will maintain its unwavering position of consulting relevant stakeholders to enable its administration to succeed.
The Ag. CGC made this known when he received members of the Customs Consultative Committee led by the Chairman of the Council, Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju, at the Customs Headquarters, Abuja, along with newly elected excos of the Association of Nigeria License Customs Agents.
He urged the newly elected leaders of the Association to consider their peculiar privilege in sustaining peace amongst them, which, according to him, will encourage the Service to take them as vital partners.
“I want to use this opportunity to rekindle the good understanding and peace between yourselves so that we will be able to synergize in eradicating threats against revenue collection and national security.”
He said the Nigeria Customs Service would henceforth share the challenge of consolidating the recent victory with the association – which will clear the way for innovations in the automation of procedures and benefit official economic operators.
He told the new leaders of ANLCA that the Nigeria Customs Service is willing to collaborate with them to ensure the successful facilitation of trade, adding, “We are going to hold a meeting to Customs Agents to ensure that we bring the required sanity into our operations.”
In his response, Mr Hakeem Olanrewaju, the Chairman of the Customs Consultative Committee who led the delegation, said they were at the Corporate Headquarter of the Customs to present the newly elected National Executive Council of ANLCA to the Ag. CGC.
Olanrewaju congratulated the Ag. CGC, on his appointment by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, and equally assured the Ag. CGC that the Association had been put back on the rail after having a long time of experiencing hot fracas, adding that “with the intervention of the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents has embraced a collaborative peace.”
NCS Training College: The Passing Out of Basic Course I/2023 Cadets
The Ag. CGC congratulated the cadets on their successful completion of training and welcomed them into the service. He expressed hope for a better service, equipped them with knowledge and skills, and urged them to make a meaningful difference in the nation.
He emphasized the importance of discipline, good conduct, and the highest level of integrity in their actions, reminding them that they represent excellence and the Nigeria Customs Service, and also announced there would be a significant enhancement to the service’s training and development framework while stating that officers within the superintendent cadre – starting from those graduating that day, would undergo a mandatory refresher course every five years.
The Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Manasseh Jatau – a retired Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, senior Officers of the service, and representatives of sister agencies equally attended the occasion alongside the Training College Commandant, Deputy Comptroller Haniel Hadisson. The Commandant advised the cadets to maintain the high standard of discipline they experienced during their compulsory six-month training while executing their duties. He expressed gratitude for the support provided by the Acting Comptroller-General and his team.
As a reward for excellence, awards were presented to outstanding cadets who had distinguished themselves through dedication and hard work. And in total, 81 Cadets successfully completed their training and passed out of the Training College after six months of rigorous preparation.
*The Acting CGC’s Strategies for Physical and Mental Fitness*
The Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has recently led Officers and men of the Service, including members of the management team and representatives of military and paramilitary institutions, to a marathon route march – as part of his tactics to keep his men in a state of rejuvenated physical and mental fitness.
The trekking exercise, which had a theme “Work-Life Balance: Balancing For A Better Tomorrow”, commenced in the early hours of Saturday, 23 September 2023, from Customs Headquarters Wuse Zone 3 to the newly built Customs House in Maitama Area, all in Abuja – the Federal Capital Territory.
This is seen as one of the Ag. CGC’s strategic approaches to enhance the agility of the Officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking after the route march, the Ag. CGC stated that the exercise is aimed at keeping officers physically and mentally fit to enable them to face their constitutional duties effectively, emphasizing that “we have gathered here to launch a transformative initiative that reflects the core values of our beloved Service – the Work-Life Balance Initiative.”
He said that the physical exercise, however, attests to the Customs’ commitment to consolidate key areas of national development, binding its ties with stakeholders and embracing technological innovations.
“As officers and men, we come under lots of pressure to fulfill various obligations, and most of the time, these pressures come from our workplaces – emanating from the nature of our tasks, which are usually physically and mentally demanding; thus, the exercise will help reduce such pressure for us and enhance our productivity at work,” he said.
The Ag. CGC noted that the Nigeria Customs Service had, over the past 15 years, established 32 clinics and medical centres all over the country to take care of the Officers’ health, adding that “as we embark on this journey, it is vital to understand the essence of this initiative and why we need to flag it off.”
He motivated everyone present at the marathon route match to continue to engage themselves in extra exercises such as jogging, hiking, dancing and all other curricular activities while advising them to embrace a work-life balance as it will continue to improve their health and also contribute to enhancing their efficiency at the Service.
The Customs Chief also stated that the exercise will facilitate the unity and love between Customs Officers across the federation.
“Participating in this brisk walking exercise fosters friendship and unity and a sense of shared purpose amongst us,” he said.
The brisk walking exercise was attended by Deputy Comptroller-Generals of Customs in charge of different Units, Assistant Comptroller-Generals, and all Comptrollers down to Customs Assistant III. Other participants from sister agencies who graced the ‘Walk-Life Balance’ exercise were from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Nigerian Correctional Centre, Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and Nigeria Army.
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The Acting Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, having embarked on a journey of consolidation, and collaboration focused on reforms, restructuring, and innovation has most importantly shown that he is fully committed to the successful implementation of the new Customs Act 2023, as he has continued to work diligently to familiarize the Officers and stakeholders with its provisions, ensuring its effective application across all the Service operations.
Through his continuous engagements with stakeholders across different sectors, he has not relented in creating the much-needed awareness and understanding of the Customs Act and the importance of successfully achieving the Service shared goals, which he sees as a collective effort of all the Officers, personnel, stakeholders and the public while emphasizing the need to embrace the spirit of compliance and collaboration, thereby arriving at a continuous improvement of the NCS, along with contributing to the prosperity of our beloved nation, Nigeria.
The Ag. CGC’s administration has shown that it is committed to adopting a bottom-up approach, where the needs of our dear nation take precedence over everything else.
Customs
Nigeria, Benin Customs move to harmonise trans-border trade, establish joint border post at Seme-Krake
Funso OLOJO, Editor
Nigeria and Benin Republic have taken a major step towards harmonising cross-border trade procedures and removing bottlenecks along the strategic Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, with the two countries moving to establish a Joint Border Post at the Seme-Kraké frontier.
The initiative is designed to deepen regional economic integration, facilitate legitimate trade, improve border security and enable the seamless movement of goods and people between the two countries.
The development gathered momentum on Friday, September 11, 2026, when the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Benin Customs Administration conducted a joint assessment of the infrastructure and operational readiness of the proposed One-Stop Border Post at Seme-Kraké.
The exercise, tagged “Joint Nigeria-Benin Republic One-Stop Border Post Assessment at Seme-Kraké,” was themed “Leveraging the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project to Advance Seamless Cross-Border Trade and Shared Prosperity.”
The assessment is part of a broader effort by the two Customs administrations to harmonise border procedures, reduce trade barriers, strengthen institutional coordination and improve the efficiency of legitimate commerce across the Nigeria-Benin border.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi, said the assessment was aimed at reviewing the operational readiness of the facility, examining existing border processes and infrastructure, and demonstrating the border-modernisation solution being deployed to support secure interoperability between the two Customs administrations.
Adeniyi stressed the strategic importance of the Seme-Kraké crossing, describing it as one of the busiest land borders in West Africa and a critical gateway along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
According to him, the corridor carries more than 70 per cent of the sub-region’s transit trade, making efficiency at the Seme-Kraké border critical to the economies of countries along the route.
He said the border operates around the clock throughout the year, warning that delays at the crossing have consequences far beyond the immediate border environment.
“Every hour lost at this gate is multiplied across thousands of consignments and tens of thousands of travellers, and is paid for in the price of goods in markets from Cotonou to Lagos.
“Conversely, an hour saved here is saved for the whole region. There are few places on this continent where the ratio between effort and effect is as favourable as it is at this crossing,” he said.
The Customs boss, however, noted that despite the two administrations operating within the same border environment, they were yet to achieve full digital interoperability.
He said there was still no seamless real-time exchange of declarations, manifests, transit information, risk profiles and enforcement alerts between the two countries.
Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS had therefore commenced work towards interconnecting the two administrations through a common data-exchange arrangement.
He explained that the system would enable declarations lodged on one side of the border to become visible to the other administration in real time, while transit consignments could be tracked from origin to destination.
He added that risk profiles and enforcement alerts generated by one Customs administration would also be transmitted to its counterpart while such information remained operationally useful.
The CGC further drew attention to the critical role of informal cross-border traders, particularly women, in the regional economy.
He said women account for more than 70 per cent of informal cross-border traders across Africa, adding that the pattern was particularly pronounced along the Nigeria-Benin corridor.
According to him, about 22 per cent of Benin’s informal exports are destined for Nigeria, while informal trade accounts for an estimated one-fifth of economic activity in Nigeria and a significantly higher proportion in Benin.
Adeniyi commended the Benin Customs Administration for the confidence it had placed in the Nigerian Customs Service and the leadership of both administrations to drive the One-Stop Border Post initiative.
On his part, the Director-General of the Benin Customs Administration, Raouf Malehossou, commended Nigeria for spearheading the initiative, describing the integration of border operations as critical to economic growth and regional trade.
Malehossou said the proposed Joint Border Post was fundamentally about strengthening risk management and prevention by enabling Customs administrations to anticipate potential threats and address them at the earliest possible stage.
He said the ability to identify risks early was critical to effective border management, trade facilitation and national security.
“These are the fundamental questions that a Joint Border Post operating under a One-Stop-Shop model must be able to answer,” he said.
The Benin Customs chief stressed that achieving the desired level of efficiency would require more than modern roads, scanners and physical infrastructure.
He said smooth and secure border operations depended on a comprehensive package of reforms encompassing close institutional coordination, genuine digital interoperability, clear lines of responsibility and sustained investment in Customs personnel.
He urged the technical teams from both countries to use the assessment to identify not only what currently exists but also what needs to be done to make the facility capable of meeting future demands.
Malehossou said the ultimate objective should be a border operating through genuine coordination, shared facilities, harmonised procedures and joint controls.
He described the initiative as a critical component of the future of African trade and regional integration within ECOWAS, particularly the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
“The bridge we see today provides a vital physical link between Abidjan and Lagos and beyond. Our historic responsibility now is to ensure that the movement of people and goods across this corridor is as efficient and seamless as the infrastructure allows,” he said.
He called on both administrations to move from assessment to implementation, declaring: “Let us therefore get to work.”
Customs
The Afeni Effect: Inside Ogun I Customs’ war on smuggling and battle for Nigeria’s economy
Funso OLOJO, Editor
At Nigeria’s south-western border with the Republic of Benin, the battle against smuggling is no longer merely about intercepting bags of rice, petroleum products or second-hand clothing.
Increasingly, it is a battle over the survival of local industries, food security, public health, legitimate trade, national revenue and, ultimately, Nigeria’s economic security.
At the centre of that battle is the Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko, where Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Oladapo Afeni, the Acting Customs Area Controller, has presided over an increasingly aggressive enforcement campaign.
The numbers tell part of the story.
Under Afeni, the Command’s seizure diary has expanded from narcotics and prohibited food products to petroleum products, tyres, pharmaceuticals, clothing, sugar, fertiliser and even antiquities and wildlife.
But perhaps more significant than the sheer volume of seizures is the philosophy emerging behind them: make the border hostile to illicit trade while making it more accessible to legitimate commerce.
That approach dovetails with the broader economic direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has consistently presented the Renewed Hope agenda as a programme aimed at strengthening domestic production, protecting investment, improving revenue and securing Nigeria’s economic space.
At Ogun I, those objectives are increasingly being translated into frontline enforcement.
THE AUGUST SCORECARD: ₦3.574 BILLION IN ONE ENFORCEMENT WINDOW
The latest chapter in Afeni’s seizure diary is particularly revealing.
Between June 24 and August 13, 2026, the Ogun I Command intercepted prohibited goods with a combined Duty Paid Value of ₦3,574,435,248.08.
Among the most striking seizures were 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica, 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 70 cartons of basmati rice, 30 bags of foreign sugar, 11,450 litres of Premium Motor Spirit in kegs, another 1,750 litres of PMS in drums and 30 kegs of diesel.
The inventory also included 100 bags of fertiliser, 67 bales of second-hand clothing, 2,674 pieces of new shorts and trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops, 85 fire extinguishers, 480 cartons of Pure Haven drinks, cosmetics, oats, hair accessories, surgical shoes and 127 new purses.
Yet the cannabis seizure stood out.
The 6,035 parcels of Ghana Loud/Indica were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation and necessary action.
Afeni subsequently disclosed that from January 2026 to the August briefing, the Command had handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw Cannabis Sativa to the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command.
That statistic provides perhaps the clearest indication of the changing character of smuggling through the Ogun border.
It is no longer simply a question of economic contraband. Increasingly, it is a question of economic and national security.
BEFORE AUGUST CAME ₦4.63 BILLION
The August seizure did not emerge in isolation.
Between April 1 and June 23, 2026, the Command recorded 146 seizures with a cumulative DPV of ₦4,628,591,970.16, while generating ₦259,777,346.89 during the same period.
The revenue figure represented a remarkable 238 per cent increase over the ₦76.81 million recorded during the corresponding period of 2025.
That performance is significant because the Ogun I story under Afeni has not been exclusively about seizure.
There has also been an attempt to combine enforcement, revenue generation and trade facilitation.
The second-quarter seizure list was extensive: 2,807 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 9,482 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 62 sacks of raw marijuana, 16,525 litres of PMS, 475 litres of diesel, 7,642 pieces of footwear, 2,427 pneumatic tyres, 63 sacks of foreign sugar, 73 bales of second-hand clothing, fertiliser, imported flour, frozen products and pharmaceuticals.
The Command also handed over 6,981 parcels of Cannabis Indica/Ghanaian Loud and 62 sacks of raw marijuana to the NDLEA, while illicit pharmaceutical products, including 77 cartons of Analgin injections containing 138,600 tubes, were transferred to NAFDAC.
In other words, Afeni’s seizure diary is also becoming a diary of inter-agency enforcement.
THE ₦1.35 BILLION CHAPTER
Earlier, between February and March, the Command intercepted prohibited goods valued at approximately ₦1.35 billion.
That operation produced another revealing catalogue of commodities moving through the border environment.
They included 2,539 kegs of vegetable oil, 4,325 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 2,547 parcels of Cannabis Sativa and 13,625 litres of PMS.
Four live pangolins and two antique artefacts believed to date from the 19th century were also intercepted.The vegetable oil seizure was particularly significant.
Customs described it as part of efforts to protect domestic producers from unfair competition created by smuggled goods.
That is where the anti-smuggling campaign intersects directly with the Renewed Hope economic argument.
For every prohibited consignment that enters Nigeria outside the legal import regime, there is potentially a local manufacturer, farmer, investor or legitimate trader being placed at a disadvantage.
The Customs position, therefore, is that enforcement is not simply about confiscation. It is about protecting the productive economy.
THE RICE WAR
Foreign rice has perhaps become the most visible symbol of the economic contest at the Ogun border.
Again and again, rice appears in Afeni’s seizure diary.
In the April-June enforcement period alone, 2,807 bags of foreign parboiled rice were intercepted.
In the latest June-August operation, another 2,339 bags, alongside 70 cartons of basmati rice, were seized.
Afeni’s argument has been straightforward: the illegal inflow of foreign rice undermines local farmers, domestic rice mills and agricultural investors.
That position aligns the border enforcement campaign with the Federal Government’s broader food-security objectives.
The logic is compelling.
If government policy encourages Nigerians to invest in agriculture and local food processing while smugglers simultaneously flood the market with cheaper prohibited imports, then the border becomes the first point at which that economic policy must be defended.
In this sense, a bag of seized foreign rice is no longer merely a Customs seizure. It represents a direct intervention in the competition between illegal imports and domestic production.
WHEN SMUGGLERS FIGHT BACK
Afeni’s seizure diary also records an increasingly dangerous side of the border war.
In one June operation, Customs officers intercepted a truck carrying 113 bags of foreign parboiled rice along the Itori-Wasimi-Abeokuta corridor.
According to the Command, the driver ignored the officers’ signal to stop and attempted to ram the patrol vehicle before he was apprehended.
In another operation, 630 bags of foreign rice were intercepted along the Afamin-Igbogila axis.
Earlier enforcement operations had also involved resistance and attacks on Customs personnel.
This suggests that the enforcement environment around the Ogun border cannot be treated as an ordinary regulatory exercise.
The stakes are evidently high enough for some operators to risk confrontation with armed government personnel.
That makes the Command’s emphasis on intelligence, technology and collaboration with sister agencies particularly important.
FROM PATROLS TO INTELLIGENCE
Perhaps the most important change in the Afeni approach is the apparent movement away from purely reactive patrols towards intelligence-led enforcement.
The August operation, according to Customs, was strengthened by intelligence gathering, technology and collaboration with sister security agencies.
That is significant because border smugglers are themselves adapting.
Their methods increasingly involve concealment, multiple routes, small consignments, night movements, abandoned structures, bush paths and waterways.
The Customs response, therefore, has had to become more sophisticated.
The objective is no longer simply to wait for contraband to appear at a checkpoint. It is to identify the networks, understand the routes and intercept consignments before they reach the Nigerian market.
That represents a fundamentally different model of border enforcement.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE TO THE STORY
Interestingly, while the seizure diary has expanded, so has the Command’s legitimate trade profile.
Between April and June, Ogun I facilitated 20,972 metric tonnes of exports with a Free-On-Board value of ₦1.049 billion — a dramatic improvement over the corresponding period of 2025, when no export activity was recorded.
By the August briefing, the Command reported 10,110 metric tonnes of exports, valued at ₦2.594 billion FOB, with white talc, crushed thermal coal and CNG identified among the major export commodities.
That development deserves attention.
A successful border command cannot simply become a wall. It must become a filter.
The illegal must be stopped; the legitimate must be facilitated.
So far, the figures suggest that Ogun I is attempting to pursue both sides of that equation.
THE AFENI EQUATION
The emerging Afeni equation can be reduced to four words:
Enforcement. Revenue. Security. Trade.
The enforcement figures are substantial.
The revenue numbers show improvement.
The volume of narcotics handed over to the NDLEA demonstrates the security dimension.
And the rising export statistics point towards the trade-facilitation component.
The interconnectedness of the four is clear.
A secure border encourages legitimate commerce.
Legitimate commerce generates revenue.
Revenue strengthens government capacity.
And strong enforcement protects legitimate operators from unfair competition.
This is the economic-security argument behind the Ogun I experience.
A COMMAND UNDER PRESSURE
Yet the Afeni record should not be romanticised. It should be understood for what it is.
The persistence of large-scale seizures itself demonstrates that the smuggling economy remains alive.
Every seizure is evidence of successful enforcement, but it is also evidence that somebody remains willing to attempt the illegal movement of the goods.
The continued appearance of rice, petroleum products, narcotics, clothing and other prohibited commodities means that the underlying economic incentives driving smuggling have not disappeared.
Perhaps this is where the larger policy question arises:
Can enforcement alone permanently defeat smuggling?
Probably not.
Border communities need legitimate economic alternatives. Traders need predictable procedures. Exporters need efficient processing. Security agencies need sustained inter-agency cooperation.
And the Customs Service must continue to ensure that legitimate trade is not inadvertently caught in an enforcement net designed for criminal networks.
Afeni’s challenge, therefore, is bigger than producing impressive seizure statistics.
It is to help transform Idiroko from a border corridor defined by illicit commerce into a gateway for legitimate Nigerian production and exports.
THE RENEWED HOPE TEST
The real test of the Renewed Hope agenda at the border is not how many bags of rice Customs can seize.
It is whether those seizures ultimately contribute to a market environment in which Nigerian farmers can produce competitively, local manufacturers can survive, legitimate traders can operate profitably, government can collect its lawful revenue and criminal networks can no longer exploit the border as an economic highway.
By that measure, Afeni’s diary offers an interesting case study.
From the ₦1.35 billion seizure chapter of February-March, to the ₦4.63 billion recorded between April and June, and then the ₦3.574 billion seizure window stretching from June 24 to August 13, the operational tempo has remained high.
And behind those numbers is an increasingly diversified enforcement portfolio: drugs, rice, petroleum products, vegetable oil, tyres, pharmaceuticals, clothing, sugar, fertiliser, wildlife and antiquities.
More importantly, the Command has coupled seizures with drug handovers, inter-agency operations, revenue collection and legitimate export facilitation.
That may ultimately prove more significant than any single seizure.
THE DIARY CONTINUES
As August 2026 closes, one conclusion appears difficult to dispute:
The Ogun I border is no longer being treated merely as a Customs collection point. It is increasingly being managed as an economic-security theatre.
For smugglers, the apparent message from Idiroko is unmistakable: the routes are being watched, the networks are being pursued and the cargoes are increasingly vulnerable to interception.
For legitimate businesses, however, there is another message: the border is expected to become a safer and more predictable channel for lawful commerce.
And for the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope agenda, that distinction is critical.
Because the ultimate measure of success is not the size of the seizure warehouse.
It is the size of the legitimate economy that emerges when the smuggling economy is squeezed out.
For now, Afeni’s seizure diary is still being written.
And at Idiroko, the pages are filling up fast.
Customs
Apapa Customs sets new single-day revenue record with ₦28.1bn collection
Gloria Odion Maritme reporter
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has smashed its previous single-day revenue record, raking in ₦28.102 billion in just 24 hours on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
The record ₦28,102,000,914.61 collection is the highest single-day revenue haul ever recorded by the Command, eclipsing the previous benchmark of ₦20.1 billion, achieved in September 2025, shortly after Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba assumed office as Customs Area Controller.
The latest feat comes barely three weeks after the Command posted another landmark performance, collecting an unprecedented ₦323 billion in July 2026.
The successive records point to a sustained revenue surge at Nigeria’s premier port command, driven by tighter compliance, improved trade facilitation, intelligence-led interventions and greater efficiency in digital Customs processes.
Reacting to the latest milestone, Comptroller Oshoba said the record should not be viewed merely as a collection figure, but as a reflection of Customs’ contribution to Nigeria’s economic development.
He noted that revenue generated by the Service forms part of government resources deployed to finance critical national priorities, including infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and other public services.
Oshoba dedicated the achievement to the government and people of Nigeria, while commending the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the management team for their continued support for automation, modernisation and reforms designed to make Customs operations more efficient, transparent and business-friendly.
The Apapa CAC also acknowledged the cooperation of compliant importers, exporters, licensed Customs agents and other stakeholders, as well as Nigerians whose actionable intelligence has supported the Command’s enforcement and revenue-collection efforts.
He stressed that every compliant transaction contributes to national development, urging stakeholders to continue embracing legitimate trade.
According to him, a stronger revenue base gives government greater capacity to respond to citizens’ needs, provide critical infrastructure and create an environment in which businesses can thrive.
However, Oshoba cautioned officers and men of the Command against complacency, saying the latest record should be regarded not simply as an achievement but as a greater responsibility to deliver even better results.
He directed personnel to ensure that revenue collection remains balanced with trade facilitation, professionalism, transparency and respect for legitimate stakeholders.
The CAC further ordered officers to resolve genuine disputes promptly and ensure that Customs procedures do not unnecessarily frustrate lawful businesses.
With the latest record coming on the heels of its ₦323 billion July haul, the Apapa Area Command is increasingly emerging as a major engine of Customs revenue mobilisation, while simultaneously seeking to deepen compliance and facilitate legitimate trade.
The Command said it would sustain the momentum through enhanced revenue collection, improved trade facilitation, professionalism, digitalisation and stronger collaboration with stakeholders.
For Oshoba, the message behind the numbers is clear: every legitimate naira collected strengthens government’s capacity to deliver on its development agenda and improve the welfare of Nigerians.
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