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Wale Bashir Adeniyi: One year of impactful leadership as Customs Field Marshal

With his towering stature, Wale Bashir Adeniyi, the 14th indigenous Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs service, bestrides the landscape of the service with maximum impact in the last one year of stewardship.
In a blistering performance which has left many in admiration and awe, Adeniyi has revolutionized the administration and operations of the NCS in the last one year in office.
The new Customs Sheriff clocks one year in office today, July 19th, 2024.

His appointment as the Comptroller General of Customs on 19th, June, 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marked a turning point in the annal of the agency.

The last eight years in the Nigeria Customs Service have been characterised by undulating performance.

It has been a mixed bag of fortunes and misfortunes, rise and fall and tragicomedy in the performance of the service.

During those years, the rating of the service plummeted in the eye of the public and the stakeholders who were detached from the cold attitude of the top hierarchy of the Customs were not amused.

Most of the policies and actions of the service, most of which were devoid of human face, brought the agency into direct conflict with the public and the stakeholders due to the leadership style of the man who directed the affairs of the service for those years.

During those years, the officers were muffled and the stakeholders were ruffled.

Then came Adewale Adeniyi, the new Sheriff in Town.

Adeniyi ascended the high stool of Customs as the Customs Comptroller General at a time when the morale of officers was at the lowest ebb.

However, his coming, within a year in office, has brought hope, joy and renewed enthusiasm among the officers while it has sparked off a newfound love among the stakeholders who are elated over the crowning of the home-grown officer.

The fortune of the service which dipped during the last eight years and its public rating which plummeted within that period due to the rein of a non-customs officer as the head, have now suddenly sprang to life with the coming of the new Sheriff.

In June 2023, the appointment of Adeniyi as the new CGC by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marked a turning point in the affairs of the Customs.

It signalled a rebirth of the service which has been grappling with unfavourable public opinion.

As expected, the appointment of the new Sheriff sparked a spontaneous jubilation and exhilaration among the staff of the service and the stakeholders.

This was expected given the professional acumen of the new CGC and his impressive track record in a service he had held sway for the past 30 years.

Stakeholders, especially the confraternity of the freight forwarders, are unanimous in their assessment of the one year in office of Adeniyi.

Babatunde Mukaila Abdulazeez, the former National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) couldn’t hide his feelings over the inspiring leadership of Adeniyi.

“It is a personal roller coaster feeling for me. We have never had it so good.”, he declared when he was asked to assess the performance of Adeniyi in his first year in the saddle as the CGC.

Ada Ozomena Akpunonu, another frontline freight forwarder and a top-notch member of the ANLCA, was no less impressed by the performance of Adeniyi as the CGC.

“He could eventually emerge as the best CGC customs ever had” she declared.

Ibrahim Tanko, the Vice President, the Western Zone of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) who is also the National Coordinator of the 100 compliance team of the association, also acknowledged the uncommon professional ingenuity of the new CGC.

“He has done well so far”, he stated tersely.

Dr Boniface Aniebonam, the legendary founder of NAGAFF was no less enamoured by the sparkling leadership qualities of Adeniyi as displayed within his first year in office.

“He is a communication strategist” he declared as a matter of fact.

Adeniyi, as a thoroughbred professional in customs administration and human relations, immediately brought remarkable changes from the stiff and top-of-horse leadership approach of the last eight years.

As an astute public relations expert, Adeniyi immediately went on an extensive engagement with all his officers and critical stakeholders.

He first engaged the powers that be with his direct engagement of Mr President, Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwolu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

He also paid homage to the traditional rulers, including the Oni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

He thereafter engaged the officers, one-on-one at the Headquarters, interacting with them in their various offices under the air of camaraderie, displaying a rare leadership style that was alien in the last years in the service.

He then followed this up with a tour of the commands where he met with the officers before he headed to the border communities where he made a lot of efforts to create an atmosphere of mutual trust, support and harmonious relationship with the host communities and the customs, a vital ingredient that have long been lost to the last eight years of deep-seated suspicion and acrimony that were engendered by the unfriendly posture of the last regime.

Not done, the new CGC also engaged the members of the maritime media, his constituency during his almost two-decade-long impressive rein as the super public relations officer of the service.

Adeniyi was not unmindful of his counterpart across the border in the Benin Republic to whom he paid homage in a bid to foster a harmonious working relationship that would promote trade and discourage smuggling between the two West African neighbours.

The lawmakers were also not left out in his extensive and strategic engagement as he hosted the members of the Senate Committee on Customs.

In addition, members of various government organizations and private bodies tasted the irresistible lure of Wale’s hospitality.

He didn’t leave the freight forwarders out of his public engagement as he made direct contact with them in their areas of operations.

Adeniyi also reinvigorated the Corporate Social Responsibility(CRS) of the service by visiting a motherless baby home in Ibadan where he promised to reactivate the milk of human kindness in the Customs under his leadership.

There was hardly any segment of society that Adeniyi did not court its cooperation and support to have an inclusive administration that is anchored on the goodwill of the people.

Adeniyi also thrust the NCS to the consciousness of the global community with his visit to China recently where he sold the boulstered the international image of the agency.

That is the hallmark of leadership excellence.

Adeniyi, as a versatile public relations expert, achieved a dual purpose with this extensive and strategic engagement.

First, he used it to reunite the customs with the critical stakeholders who had hitherto felt alienated by the detached managerial style of the last administration in customs.

Secondly, it used the engagement to launch the customs into a new path of operational rebirth where the new management he leads will carry out its onerous task with full cooperation and collaboration of critical stakeholders.

Similarly, the disbandment of the controversial CGC strike force and streamlining of the mushroom customs checkpoints has also endeared the new Sheriff to the stakeholders, especially the freight forwarders, who had had cause to complain in the past about the excesses of those special forces.

According to Babatunde Mukaila Abdulazeez “It is a personal roller coaster feeling for me. We had never had it so good

“Wale has shown that he has the capacity and what it takes to take Nigeria Customs to the next level.

“He has shown that Nigeria can be at par with the rest of the advanced world in the deployment of trade tools.

“Within his first year in office, he has shown uncommon courage, commitment and uncanny knowledge of customs operations and processes that are meant to facilitate trade.

“For instance, he introduced what is called the Advance Ruling which holds Customs officers accountable for whatever their position is on pre-importation requests.

“I can tell you that it takes courage to do that as no officer would want to be held responsible for his action.

“But Adeniyi has done that. He was the first CG to bell the cat on this novel idea. This shows his courage and passion to transform customs.

“Also, he introduced another novel idea by partnering with the Japanese government to establish a laboratory for Nigeria Customs.

“The issue of argument on chemical imports will be a thing of the past. This will not only help the customs but the NAFDAC as well.

“Adeniyi, in his first one year in office, has shown us that he knows what needs to be done and that he is a core professional customs officer.

“We can only pray for him to succeed. He has put on the table accountability and transparency, he declared

For Ada Ozomena Akpunonu, Wale is a professional customs officer and “we all know his rich antecedents”

“Unfortunately, he came at a time when Nigeria’s economy is in comatose. This will make his task a bit difficult.

“For instance, the exchange rate is too high and the Customs duties are equally high which have both combined to make goods clearance at the port very exorbitant.

“Wale is a team player. He carries everyone along.

“Through the deployment of his Area Controllers, he has shown the depth of his managerial acumen because his men at the Area Commands are square pegs in square holes.

“By the time he spends four year in office, he will perform wonders. The atmosphere in the customs now is that of conviviality and sanity.

“If not for the instability of the naira and the bastardized economy, Wale could emerge as the best CGC ever.

Ibrahim Tanko believed Wale is doing well as the CGC.

“He has done well in terms of reducing the bottleneck in clearance procedures by reducing the number of units.

“For instance, he has disbanded the notorious CG strike force as well as border drills.

“He is also working hard to restore the core values of the Federal Operations Units ( FOUs) of the service by enhancing their professionalism.

“He is also doing well in the area of checking the excesses of officers.

“He is also doing well in attending to pending cases such as seizures, detentions, dismissals and suspensions.

“However, I would like him to define and delineate the functions of Customs Police, FOU and Provosts.

”

Their functions and duties should be well-defined and clearly stated to avoid overlap and clash.

Boniface Aniebonam said Wale is a master communication strategist.

” I commend him on the disbandment of the CG strike force.”The interventionist squad had abused the customs process under previous customs administrations.

“We appreciate him for that. He should also take a very strong stance against avoidable trade alerts from different customs units.

“This does not facilitate trade. He should coordinate and hamonise the alert system and I know as a listening officer, he shall look into this disturbing issue.

“There are lot to still be done. However, his one year in office is well and good.

“He should, however, contact critical stakeholders and partner them by using established platforms such as ANLCA and NAGAFF to reach out to the trading public.

“His one year in office has been avoidably aggressive in revenue target and collection.”But the modern-day customs practice is not about revenue but trade facilitation.

”If you raise the compliance level of the trading public, this will lead to high revenue. He should de-emphasize revenue and emphasize trade facilitation which leads to high revenue” retorted Aniebonam.

But Wale’s one year in office has raised the compliance level of the trading public.

The deployment of one of the trading tools which is the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is an eloquent testimony to that.

Adeniyi also showed his vast understanding of customs operations when he made trade facilitation the fulcrum of his administration.

All over the world, the Customs has duties to facilitate trade, collect revenue, detect and prevent smuggling, with none of the functions running counter against the others.

But over the years, especially in the last eight years, trade facilitation has been subjugated to revenue collection to the chagrin of stakeholders, but the decision of the new CAC not to injure trade facilitation in pursuit of revenue and smugglers is welcomed by the appreciative freight forwarders.

It is more gratifying to note that the new CGC has promised to break away from the past crude method of anti-smuggling tactics which had led to the avoidable death of officers and innocent people.

He hoped to achieve this by relying more on the deployment of technology which will maximise performance and minimise casualties.

The triumph of brain over brawn.

As the 14th indigenous Comptroller-General of Customs and 31st since its establishment in 1891, Wale Adeniyi, a brilliant public relations expert who is well grounded in Customs operations, is fast becoming a new face of the customs, a beckon of hope for the officers and stakeholders who have been yarning for a change from the last eight years of mutual suspicion and acrimony between the customs and its publics.

Stakeholders have therefore hailed the Nigerian Customs Service Act, especially Section 14(1)(a) of the Act, which states that “The President shall appoint a career officer from the Service, not below the rank of Assistant-Comptroller General (who shall be responsible for the overall management of the service) and be accountable for all revenue collections and all expenditures made under this Act”.

It was this new Act that enabled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discover and unleash the talents and professional acumen of Wale Adeniyi on the customs for maximum impact.

Until his appointment, Adeniyi was in charge of Strategic Research and Policy at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

A professional who is conscious of the need to build a solid image for the agency, Adeniyi once served as customs spokesman for almost two decades until January 2017 when he was redeployed to the Apapa Area Command as a Deputy Comptroller.

He was promoted to the rank of Comptroller in 2017 and appointed Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.In 2019, he was redeployed to serve as the Controller of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, Lagos where he made the famous seizure of $8.07m cash.

He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller General in February 2020 shortly after he supervised the seizure of $8.07 million cash being illegally taken out of Nigeria through the E-Wing of the international airport tarmac.

He was subsequently posted to head the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja as Commandant.

In recognition of his service, former President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 11, 2022, conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on Adeniyi.

Stakeholders are unanimous in their conviction that the Nigeria Customs Service will witness a galloping development, turn around of fortunes and professional excellence under the stewardship of Adeniyi.

Headlines

Germany-Nigeria film week ends on high note, honours Schlöndorff, Musawa, Gani Adams, others

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The inaugural Germany-Nigeria Film Week has concluded successfully after ten days of film screenings, industry engagements, cultural exchanges and award presentations across four German cities, marking a significant step towards strengthening cinematic collaboration between Nigeria and Germany.

Held from October 1 to 10, 2026, the festival brought together filmmakers, government representatives, cultural institutions and creative industry stakeholders from both countries to promote cross-cultural engagement, explore co-production opportunities and expand the international reach of Nigerian cinema.

The festival opened on October 1 at the Arsenal Film Institut in Berlin with the screening of The Chronicles of Afrobeats, directed by Nigerian filmmaker and music executive Oluseun John Abisagboola, popularly known as Bankuli.

The opening ceremony featured a fireside chat between the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Ali Nuhu, and the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini.

Their discussion examined the growth of Nigeria’s film industry, international partnerships and opportunities for deeper collaboration between Nigerian and German filmmakers.

Among the dignitaries at the event were Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, and the Director of Arsenal Film Institut, Stefanie Schulte Strathaus, alongside filmmakers, producers and other creative industry stakeholders.

A major highlight of the Berlin programme was the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to renowned German filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff in recognition of his contributions to international cinema. His distinguished career spans several decades and includes documentary filmmaking in Africa, including Nigeria.

The Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, also received a Special Recognition Award for her contributions to the development and promotion of Nigeria’s creative industry. The award was received on her behalf by Dr. Husseini.

From Berlin, the festival moved to Hannover, where SONNENKINDFILM e.V., led by Michael Davies, co-founder of the Germany-Nigeria Film Week, hosted a press conference attended by festival delegates, filmmakers and industry representatives.

During the Hannover programme, a Special Recognition Award was presented to Chief Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, in recognition of his contributions to promoting and preserving African culture and heritage.

The city also hosted screenings of Nigerian productions, including Amanyanabo: The Eagle King, produced by veteran Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ibinabo Fiberesima and directed by Fred Amata and Ibinabo Fiberesima.

Another featured production was Evi, directed by Uyoyou Adia. Adia received an award in recognition of her creativity and artistic achievement in directing the film, while Fiberesima was also honoured for her contributions to the Nigerian film industry.

The festival subsequently extended to Bremen and Hamburg, further showcasing Nigerian filmmaking to German audiences.

Love and New Notes, directed by Kayode Kasum, was screened in both cities, while On Different Grounds, directed by Mildred Okwo, was screened in Bremen.

The Germany-Nigeria Film Week was founded by Mykel Parish Ajaere of Nigeria’s Pan-African Film Development & Advancement Foundation (PAFDAF) and Michael Davies of Germany’s SONNENKINDFILM e.V.

The initiative was established to create a sustainable platform for filmmakers from both countries to exchange ideas, build professional relationships, develop co-production partnerships and explore international distribution and other commercial opportunities.

Beyond showcasing films, the festival seeks to strengthen cultural relations between Nigeria and Germany while providing Nigerian filmmakers with greater access to European audiences and international industry networks.

The organisers said the inaugural edition received institutional and logistical support from the Office of the Mayor of Hannover, Arsenal Film Institut Berlin, KoKi Cinema Hannover, City 46 Cinema Bremen and Metropolis Kino Hamburg.

The Nigerian Film Corporation and the National Film and Video Censors Board also supported the initiative, reinforcing its objective of building sustainable partnerships between the two countries’ film industries.

With its inaugural edition completed, the organisers have scheduled the second Germany-Nigeria Film Week for October 4–9, 2027. The next edition is expected to feature expanded programming, broader industry participation and stronger international partnerships.

The successful conclusion of the maiden festival underscores the potential of cinema as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy, creative-sector development and stronger economic ties between Nigeria and Germany.

Headlines

Dredgers association disowns extortion allegations against Lagos commissioner

Alebiosu and Akpomejero

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN) has disowned a media report alleging extortion, harassment and intimidation of dredgers and tipper operators by the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon. Ekundayo Alebiosu and Mr. Cardozo.

The association, in a disclaimer issued on Friday, October 23, 2026, said the report, published by Linda Ikeji’s Blog and other online platforms under the headline “Dredgers Association Appeals to Sanwo-Olu Over Alleged Extortion, Urges Governor to Call Alebiosu, Cardozo to Order,” did not originate from its national leadership or any authorised organ of the association.

DAN stated categorically that it neither authorised nor approved any petition or press release accusing the commissioner and Cardozo of harassment, intimidation or extortion.

It also denied having any record of the alleged impounding of trucks and the purported demand for ₦500,000, which featured in the publication.

The association, therefore, distanced itself entirely from the allegations, urging the public and relevant stakeholders not to regard the report as an official statement of its position.

Reaffirming its relationship with the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, DAN described its engagements with the government and the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development as cordial and collaborative.

According to the association, issues concerning dredging regulations and the interpretation of Supreme Court judgments on shoreline authority are being addressed through appropriate institutional channels and dialogue with relevant federal and state authorities.

It stressed that such matters were being handled through established processes rather than media confrontations.

DAN consequently urged the Lagos State Government, Alebiosu and other stakeholders to disregard the publication in its entirety, insisting that it did not represent the association’s official position.

The association also expressed regret over any embarrassment, inconvenience or reputational damage the report might have caused the Lagos State Government, the commissioner and other officials mentioned.

Reaffirming its commitment to responsible industry engagement, DAN said it remained dedicated to promoting lawful and sustainable dredging operations across Nigeria through constructive collaboration with relevant authorities and stakeholders.

The disclaimer was signed by the association’s National President, Batare Akpomejero, and National Secretary, Richard Ntan.

Headlines

Tinubu reaffirms support for tourism reforms, receives Nigeria’s highest tourism honour

Funso OLOJO, Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tourism development and hospitality sector reforms, pledging continued support for initiatives aimed at unlocking the industry’s economic potential and positioning it as a major contributor to Nigeria’s non-oil economy.

The President gave the assurance on Thursday, October 22nd, 2026, during a meeting with the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, who briefed him on ongoing efforts to strengthen professional standards, develop industry skills and improve service delivery across the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors.

The engagement also featured the presentation of the Grand Fellow of National Hospitality and Tourism (GFNHT) to President Tinubu by Fagade.

The distinction, conferred by NIHOTOUR, is described by the institute as the highest singular honour in Nigeria’s tourism sector.

The meeting comes amid efforts to reposition tourism as a viable instrument for economic diversification, employment generation, investment attraction and enterprise development.

During his briefing, Fagade highlighted the institute’s ongoing reforms, particularly the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, which provides a framework for strengthening professional standards, promoting accountability and improving the quality of services across the industry.

He explained that the reforms were designed to build a more structured and professional tourism ecosystem capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.

According to him, Nigeria’s tourism potential extends far beyond leisure and recreation, offering significant opportunities for economic growth through hospitality, travel services, skills development and related businesses.

Fagade stressed that unlocking these opportunities would require sustained investment in human capital, effective institutional oversight and closer collaboration between government and private-sector operators.

“Our responsibility is to build the professional and institutional foundations that will enable Nigeria’s tourism potential to translate into jobs, investment and sustainable economic growth. ”

The President’s continued support is important to advancing these reforms and positioning the sector for greater national impact,” he said.

He noted that improving professional competence and establishing credible regulatory standards were essential to building public confidence, strengthening service delivery and creating an environment in which tourism businesses could thrive.

The NIHOTOUR chief executive added that a more professional and competitive industry would enhance Nigeria’s capacity to attract domestic and international visitors while expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and other stakeholders across the tourism value chain.

The President’s pledge of continued support, according to the institute, underscores the importance of tourism within the Federal Government’s broader economic development strategy.

The sector aligns with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its emphasis on diversifying the economy, generating employment and developing productive sectors beyond oil.

With its potential to stimulate hospitality businesses, transport services, cultural enterprises and other supporting industries, tourism is increasingly being viewed as an avenue for broadening Nigeria’s economic base and creating opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.

NIHOTOUR reaffirmed its commitment to working with government institutions and private-sector stakeholders to advance the reforms, strengthen professional training and promote standards that can support a globally competitive tourism industry.

The institute said its objective was to build a more professional, accountable and internationally recognised sector capable of generating sustainable economic value and delivering lasting benefits to Nigerians.