Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disbursed N7.61 billion to nine Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) for the payment of retirement benefits to 4,237 retired Customs officers, reaffirming its commitment to the welfare of its former personnel.

Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a dialogue with retired officers held on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026, where he announced that the funds had already been released to the PFAs for immediate credit to the retirees’ individual Retirement Savings Accounts.

According to the beneficiary breakdown, Premium Pension has the highest number of beneficiaries with 2,268 retirees, followed by Access-ARM Pension Managers with 1,223.

Leadway Pensions will pay 403 retirees, TrustFund Pensions 156, FCMB Pensions 144, Veritas Glanvills Pensions 28, Norrenberger Pensions 11, while Fidelity Pension Managers will pay four retirees, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 4,237.

Addressing the retirees, Adeniyi stressed that the Customs Service remains committed to ensuring the welfare of both serving and retired officers, noting that the institution’s future is closely tied to how it treats those who devoted their careers to its service.

He said the Service must remain financially strong and capable of meeting its obligations, emphasizing that retirees deserve dignity and timely access to their benefits.

The CGC also called for sustained engagement between the Service and its retirees, explaining that the dialogue was convened to address concerns, foster mutual understanding, and dispel misinformation.

“I acknowledge your concerns and suggestions, and it is in view of this that we convened this dialogue to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the Service and its retired personnel,” Adeniyi said.

Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Tijjani Abe, and other members of the Customs Management Team, who assured the retirees that the issues raised would receive due consideration at both the Board and Management levels.

The retired officers commended the Comptroller-General and the Management for creating a platform for direct interaction, describing the engagement as timely and beneficial.

They appealed for the dialogue to become a regular feature to strengthen the bond between the Service and its retired workforce.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of ongoing Federal Government efforts to improve pension administration, following plans to review relevant statutory provisions, including Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), with the aim of enhancing the welfare of pensioners across the public service.

Gloria Odion,  reporter

The Media Anti-Corruption Initiative (MACI) has commended Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for its outstanding role in protecting Nigeria’s extensive oil pipeline network from vandalism and crude oil theft.

The group, an association of journalists committed to promoting transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption, said Tantita’s pipeline surveillance operations have significantly reduced revenue losses to oil theft while contributing to increased crude oil production and improved foreign exchange earnings for the Federal Government.

In a statement jointly signed by its President, Funso Olojo, and Secretary-General, Tunde Ojudun, MACI observed that crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism had for decades remained one of Nigeria’s most persistent economic challenges, costing the nation billions of naira in lost revenue.

According to the group, the financial losses have not only weakened the country’s economy but have also deprived Nigerians of resources that could have been invested in critical infrastructure, healthcare, education and other social services.

MACI, however, noted that the situation has witnessed a remarkable turnaround since August 2022, when the Federal Government engaged Tantita Security Services to undertake surveillance of critical oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.

“Since the award of the pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services in August 2022, Nigeria has recorded significant improvements in crude oil production as a result of the drastic reduction in oil theft and pipeline vandalism,” the statement said.

The group praised the company for what it described as its professionalism, commitment and unwavering dedication to protecting national assets.

“As an organisation actively involved in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, MACI commends TANTITA for its dedication and commitment to securing the nation’s oil pipelines without compromise.

“This aligns with our anti-corruption campaign, and we believe TANTITA has set a commendable example worthy of emulation.”

MACI stressed that the Niger Delta remains the backbone of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, making the protection of critical energy infrastructure essential to the country’s economic stability.

According to the group, Tantita’s proactive surveillance strategy has led to a significant decline in incidents of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, thereby restoring confidence and enhancing peace and stability across the region.

The organisation also applauded the company for creating employment opportunities for youths and residents of host communities, describing the initiative as a major contribution to socio-economic development in the Niger Delta.

“Beyond safeguarding critical national assets, TANTITA has empowered local communities through employment, providing legitimate means of livelihood that help discourage illegal activities and foster greater community participation in protecting national infrastructure,” the statement added.

MACI further commended the company’s ethical business culture and transparency, noting that it has maintained high professional standards while executing its responsibilities.

“The company has remained committed to integrity and transparency in its operations, setting a benchmark for others in the security and surveillance sector.

“It is truly commendable that TANTITA has accomplished what many once considered an impossible task—effectively securing the nation’s oil pipelines without compromising its ethical standards.

“We hope its achievements will inspire other organisations and stakeholders to join the fight against corruption and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development.

“TANTITA has demonstrated that with dedication, professionalism and ethical conduct, lasting solutions to long-standing national challenges are achievable,” MACI concluded.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

Leading academics, industry practitioners, professional bodies, regulators and other stakeholders have called for the adoption of a hybrid professional governance framework that combines statutory regulation with professional recognition to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality workforce.

The recommendation emerged at the NIHOTOUR Stakeholder Engagement Forum held on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, where participants agreed that closer collaboration between regulators, professional associations and academic institutions is essential to building a globally competitive tourism industry.

Welcoming participants, the Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, stressed that developing a world-class workforce requires strong partnerships among government, academia and the private sector.

The forum featured a keynote presentation by Professor Wasiu Babalola, Professor of Hotel Management and Tourism at Atiba University, Oyo, legal practitioner and PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan.

His paper, titled “Strategic Roles of Industry Associations and Professional Bodies in Workforce Registration, Certification, Licensing and Sustainable Human Capital Development,” drew from his ongoing doctoral research, “Professional Recognition by Professional Practice: A Viable Alternative for Nigerian Tourism and Hospitality Professional Stability.”

Professor Babalola argued that although the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 represents a significant milestone in the professionalisation of Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector, legislation alone cannot guarantee long-term professional stability.

According to him, sustainable growth can only be achieved through effective collaboration between statutory institutions and recognised professional bodies operating within clearly defined responsibilities.

He observed that the industry continues to grapple with fragmented regulation, overlapping institutional mandates, inconsistent certification processes, weak professional identity and inadequate workforce data.

Rather than fostering competition among institutions, he said these challenges require a collaborative governance structure that clearly assigns responsibilities while promoting synergy.

Drawing lessons from established professions such as law, medicine, engineering, architecture and accounting, Professor Babalola explained that successful professional systems operate on a dual model in which government regulators establish minimum standards while professional bodies drive competency development, ethical conduct, continuing professional education and peer recognition.

A major highlight of the presentation was the introduction of the Hybrid Professional Governance Framework, built around the Professional Recognition by Professional Practice (PRPP) model.
Under the proposal, recognised professional bodies would be formally empowered under the NIHOTOUR Act to oversee continuing professional development, ethical standards, practitioner engagement and specialised competency development. NIHOTOUR, on the other hand, would retain responsibility for statutory regulation, licensing, certification, standards enforcement and maintenance of the national workforce register.

Professor Babalola outlined several key recommendations to support the framework, including the formal recognition of credible professional bodies through the PRPP model, clear delineation of professional practice areas within the tourism and hospitality industry, development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and operational manuals for recognised professional bodies, enhancement of a national digital tourism and hospitality workforce register, competency-based certification under NIHOTOUR, mandatory continuing professional development through accredited professional associations, stronger collaboration among government, industry and academia, and alignment with international best practices in tourism workforce development.

He further noted that Section 4 of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 already provides sufficient legal backing for collaboration between NIHOTOUR and professional bodies in areas such as training, certification, capacity development and other statutory responsibilities, making partnership a more practical approach than institutional rivalry.

Stakeholders at the forum endorsed the proposal, describing it as a practical framework capable of improving institutional cooperation, eliminating duplication of functions, strengthening workforce quality and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global tourism and hospitality market.

They also urged NIHOTOUR to sustain stakeholder consultations on the proposal in order to develop a governance model that enjoys broad industry acceptance and reflects the collective aspirations of all relevant stakeholders.

Concluding his presentation, Professor Babalola said: “Professionalisation is strongest when statutory authority and professional recognition work together, not in competition, but in partnership.”

He also acknowledged the academic support and research environment provided by the Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan, noting that presenting his doctoral research before national and international audiences demonstrates the university’s commitment to academic excellence, globally relevant research and bridging the gap between academia and industry.