From A classroom In Modakeke To leading Nigeria's Customs Service, Mentorship, Revenue growth and digital reforms Define Adeniyi's Journey
Opinion | By Omooba Olumuyiwa Adejobi
The ability of a nation to effectively secure its borders, regulate the movement of goods and people, and collect legitimate revenue goes a long way in determining its economic development and national security. For a country as richly endowed, economically diverse and strategically positioned as Nigeria, the effective management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the agency entrusted with these critical responsibilities, is no tea party.
Customs administration occupies a vital place in national development. Beyond the collection of import duties and other statutory revenues, it serves as a frontline institution in the fight against smuggling, the protection of domestic industries, the facilitation of international trade and the enforcement of regulations governing the movement of goods across national borders.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that Nigeria's real Gross Domestic Product grew by 2.74 per cent in 2023 and accelerated to 3.40 per cent in 2024. The economy subsequently recorded annual growth of 3.87 per cent in 2025. These figures provide useful context for assessing the performance of public institutions, although economic growth cannot be attributed to any single agency. Customs revenue, trade facilitation and border security must be evaluated alongside other economic indicators to appreciate the contribution of the Service to national development.
It is against this background that the emergence of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as Comptroller-General of Customs in 2023 becomes significant. His appointment opened a new chapter in the administration of the Service, with an emphasis on consolidation, collaboration and innovation, as well as renewed attention to revenue generation, operational efficiency, technology, personnel development and stakeholder engagement.
But why am I particularly interested in the man at the centre of this institutional story? The answer is personal.
A Yoruba proverb states that " Bí ọmọ o ba bá ìtàn, yi o bá àròbá" - that is, when a child does not know the history, the child may be left with stories. History, therefore, is important because it provides the context through which we understand the people, institutions and experiences that shape our society. My interest in the Comptroller-General goes beyond his present office. It is rooted in a family history that connects him to my late father, Oba Moses Olayioye Adedosu Adejobi, the Olowo of Orile-Owu, Osun State, a teacher, coach and football enthusiast who played an important role in the lives of young people in our community.
I was born in Modakeke, the same town from which CGC Adeniyi hails. My late father was his teacher and mentor at Modakeke High School in the 1970s, and I grew up hearing about the relationships my father maintained with the young people he taught and encouraged. One of the things I came to understand was that education, mentorship and the opportunity to discover one's abilities can have consequences far beyond the classroom.
My father encouraged the young Wale Adeniyi to serve run commentary for the school sports team during sporting activities, a role which laid a solid foundation for his prowess in public relations, a field which he has excelled in. My late father was passionate about football and coaching, and his influence extended beyond the school environment. Some of his contemporaries and associates later became traditional rulers in different communities in present-day Osun State.
Among the personalities associated with that generation was the late Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, HRM Oba James Adegoke, alongside other respected figures who made their marks as teachers, coaches and community leaders before or alongside their emergence in traditional leadership.
Looking back, I find it remarkable that the young man my father knew and encouraged would eventually rise to occupy one of the most consequential leadership positions in Nigeria's public service. I do not suggest that one teacher alone determines the entire course of a person's life. Adeniyi's rise reflects his education, professional discipline, experience and years of service. Nevertheless, the value of mentorship should never be underestimated. A teacher may plant a seed without knowing how far the resulting tree will grow.
Today, the young man from Modakeke has become a leading figure in customs administration, public communication and international trade facilitation. His professional journey is a reminder that the lessons of the classroom, when combined with diligence and opportunity, can find expression in national service.
One of the defining features of Adeniyi's career is his background in communication and public relations, and he views it as an instrument of national development.
He joined the Nigeria Customs Service in 1990 after obtaining a degree in International Relations from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. He subsequently pursued advanced studies in communication science and built a career that combined operational experience with institutional communication.
In March 2001, he was appointed to serve as a Customs public relations officer, eventually becoming one of the Service's longest-serving National Public Relations Officers. In June 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, and his appointment was confirmed in October 2023. His emergence was particularly notable because he brought to the highest office in the Service a professional background that included years of engagement with the media, the public and other stakeholders.
I consider this an important part of his story. Customs is an enforcement institution, but it is also a public institution. It must collect revenue and enforce the law, yet it must equally explain its policies, maintain public trust, listen to legitimate concerns and build relationships with those whose businesses and livelihoods depend on its operations.
Adeniyi's experience in public relations gives him a useful appreciation of this balance. Communication cannot replace sound policy or operational effectiveness, but it can help ensure that policies are understood, reforms are properly implemented and institutional achievements are communicated with clarity.
Adeniyi's professional relationship with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is another important dimension of his public life. He is a Fellow of the Institute and has served as its immediate past Vice-President. He has also been associated with efforts to strengthen professional communication, reputation management and the place of public relations in governance.
In May 2025, he was installed as Vice-Chair of the Body of Advisers of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group, an initiative associated with the NIPR's efforts to promote a more coherent approach to Nigeria's reputation.
The Nigeria Customs Service under Adeniyi has continued to place emphasis on stakeholder engagement, communication and collaboration. These are particularly important in an institution where decisions affect importers, exporters, manufacturers, licensed customs agents, transport operators and ordinary citizens.
Another defining feature of Adeniyi's administration is increased revenue generation, which can be viewed as the most visible measure of the transformation under his leadership since his appointment.
The Nigeria Customs Service reported that it collected approximately ₦6.105 trillion in 2024, exceeding its annual target of about ₦5.079 trillion by more than ₦1 trillion. The performance represented an increase of approximately 90 per cent over the ₦3.2 trillion recorded in 2023.
The Service also reported that the total value of trade it handled rose from ₦70.50 trillion in 2023 to approximately ₦196.94 trillion in 2024. These figures point to a substantial increase in the value of recorded trade, although trade value and customs revenue are distinct measures and should not be confused.
The momentum continued in 2025. The Service reported revenue collection of approximately ₦7.281 trillion against a target of ₦6.584 trillion, exceeding the target by about ₦697 billion.
These figures deserve attention because revenue performance is central to the fiscal responsibilities of the Service. Every naira legitimately collected strengthens the resources available to the federation and reduces the gap between revenue expectations and actual public receipts.
Revenue targets should therefore be seen not merely as figures to be attained but as commitments that require measurable improvements in administration, accountability and service delivery.
Another important feature is digitalization and modernization through the introduction of the B'Odogwu platform, the indigenous digital trade management platform developed to modernize Customs processes and improve the efficiency of cargo clearance and revenue administration.
A modern Customs Service cannot depend solely on manual processes and traditional enforcement methods. International trade is increasingly shaped by digital documentation, integrated data systems, risk-based inspections and the need for predictable cargo-clearance procedures.
The platform forms part of a wider effort to simplify trade procedures, improve transparency and provide traders and licensed agents with more organized access to Customs services. Its significance lies in the potential to reduce administrative bottlenecks, improve data accuracy, support better risk assessment and strengthen the monitoring of transactions.
The Service has also pursued trade facilitation measures, including the Authorized Economic Operator programme and advance rulings. These initiatives can help qualifying businesses benefit from greater predictability and more efficient procedures, while allowing Customs to concentrate attention on transactions that present higher risks. The broader objective is to achieve a better balance between compliance and facilitation: making legitimate trade easier while making illicit trade more difficult.
Strengthened border security and anti-smuggling operations are another card in Adeniyi's playbook.
Revenue generation is only one part of the Customs mandate. The Service also has a vital responsibility to protect Nigeria's borders, enforce prohibitions and restrictions, disrupt smuggling networks and support national security.
The consequences of weak border management extend beyond lost revenue. Illicit movements of arms, narcotics, prohibited goods and other dangerous commodities can undermine public safety, threaten legitimate industries and weaken confidence in government institutions.
Under Adeniyi's leadership, the Service has continued to pursue intelligence-led enforcement, inter-agency collaboration and the deployment of technology to strengthen border management. The Service has reported significant seizures involving prohibited goods and other contraband, including weapons, narcotics and smuggled petroleum products. These operations illustrate the continuing importance of intelligence gathering, coordinated enforcement and cooperation with other security agencies.
Effective enforcement, however, requires more than the seizure of contraband. It requires the ability to identify high-risk movements, share information across agencies, investigate networks behind illicit activities and ensure that enforcement decisions are lawful and professionally executed. This is indeed why training and retraining, investing in the people behind the uniform are vital as institutional reforms cannot succeed without competent personnel.
Customs officers operate in a demanding environment that requires knowledge of tariff classifications, valuation, international trade rules, intelligence, risk assessment, technology, enforcement procedures and stakeholder management. These responsibilities continue to evolve as trade becomes more complex and security threats change. Adeniyi's administration has placed emphasis on training and retraining as instruments for improving professional competence and operational performance. The Service has undertaken capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with the World Customs Organization and other partners. These have included specialized training in intelligence, technology, border management and the use of tools to combat illicit trafficking.
Another positive in Adeniyi's administration is improvement in personnel welfare. No institution can sustain high performance indefinitely if the welfare of its workforce is neglected.
The priorities of a welfare-conscious Customs administration should include timely promotion, fair career progression, access to relevant training, appropriate accommodation and equipment, healthcare, pension administration and transparent processes for addressing officers' concerns. CG Adeniyi has, on this note, treated the welfare of Customs officers as not just a peripheral benefit but an essential component of institutional effectiveness.
The Service's reported efforts in staff development, promotions and pension-related engagement reflect the importance attached to these issues. In 2026, the NCS also announced the release of ₦7.61 billion to pension fund administrators for the prompt payment of benefits to 4,237 retirees.
That intervention is significant because the welfare of personnel does not end when an officer leaves active service. A credible institution must demonstrate concern for its workforce throughout the course of employment and into retirement.
Effective collaboration under CG Adeniyi
The Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of CG Bashir Wale Adeniyi, MFR, has recently announced plans to host two important conferences in Abuja in December 2026: the Comptroller-General of Customs Conference, scheduled for December 7–8, and the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference, scheduled for December 9–11.
The CGC Conference, themed "Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities," is expected to review the Service's modernization efforts, assess progress against previous commitments and examine the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security and trade facilitation.
Its discussions will include digital Customs systems, trusted trade corridors, seamless payments, intelligence-led enforcement and cooperation among security agencies. The conference will also provide an opportunity to assess the impact of reforms on trade and revenue, including the role of the Authorised Economic Operator programme and partnerships with other public institutions.
C-PACT 2026 will extend the discussion to the continental level under the theme "One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts."
Its focus is particularly relevant to the ambition of the AfCFTA. One-stop border posts and interconnected digital systems can help reduce duplicated checks, improve information exchange and make cross-border trade more efficient. The conference is expected to bring together Customs administrations, policymakers, regional institutions, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders to explore practical ways of improving cooperation.
These are not merely technical subjects for Customs officials. They concern the ability of African businesses to reach new markets, the cost and reliability of transporting goods, the security of trade corridors and the continent's capacity to translate regional agreements into commercial opportunities.
For Nigeria, hosting the two conferences is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership while listening to the experiences and concerns of its partners. It is also an opportunity to turn dialogue into practical commitments, measurable outcomes and sustained cooperation.
The upcoming CGC Conference and C-PACT 2026 will no doubt help strengthen the connection between secure borders and more prosperous communities, while advancing the long-term objective of a more integrated African trading environment.
A fair assessment of Adeniyi's leadership must acknowledge the progress recorded while recognizing that reform is an ongoing process.
The revenue figures for 2024 and 2025 demonstrate that the Service has improved its collections and exceeded its targets. The digital modernization programme, including B'Odogwu, represents an effort to move Customs administration towards more efficient and transparent processes. Capacity-building initiatives reflect the importance of professional development, while stakeholder engagement and international cooperation provide opportunities to strengthen trade facilitation and border security.
These achievements deserve recognition. The Service must continue to demonstrate that higher revenue collections are sustainable, that digital platforms produce measurable improvements for traders, that enforcement is intelligence-driven and lawful, and that personnel welfare receives consistent attention.
It must also ensure that the benefits of reform are felt beyond official reports and conference halls. Importers and exporters should experience greater predictability. Manufacturers should benefit from a more reliable trading environment. Officers should have the tools and training required to perform their duties. Citizens should have greater confidence that the country's borders are being managed in the public interest.
The next phase of Customs reform should therefore be guided by measurable outcomes, transparent reporting, continuous professional development and a willingness to correct shortcomings when they emerge.
No single administration can resolve every structural problem in Customs operations. Nevertheless, leadership can establish the priorities, standards and institutional culture that make sustained progress possible, and that is what CGC Adewale stands for.
The Nigeria Police Force under IGP Olatunji Disu has moved decisively to make inter-agency cooperation an operational reality rather than a rhetorical aspiration. At the strategic level, IGP Disu visited the Customs Headquarters in Abuja in June 2026, where he reaffirmed the Police’s commitment to a strong institutional partnership and emphasising that sustained collaboration between their personnel would strengthen collective efforts to address security challenges. Beyond the diplomatic significance of the visit, the engagement emphasized the NPF’s readiness to align its intelligence capabilities, border patrol operations and enforcement resources with those of the NCS, thereby recognizing the complementary mandates of both agencies in securing our nations border.
As I reflect on the journey of the CGC since his assumption of the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service, I return to the personal story with which I began.
That journey gives me a personal reason to take an interest in his achievements. It also reminds me that the history of public service is often shaped by experiences that begin long before a person enters the national spotlight.
I see in Adeniyi's career a demonstration of the value of communication, education, professional experience and institutional service. His background in public relations, his association with the NIPR and his present responsibilities as Comptroller-General bring together several dimensions of public administration that are too often treated separately.
Yet, the real significance of his leadership will be determined by what endures after individual announcements and initiatives have passed. It will be measured by the strength of the institution he helps to build, the professionalism of its personnel, the reliability of its revenue administration, the security of Nigeria's borders and the opportunities created for legitimate trade.
For me, the story of Wale Adeniyi is therefore both personal and national. It is a story that began in a classroom in Modakeke but now intersects with Nigeria's economic aspirations and Africa's wider ambitions for regional integration.
The responsibility before him remains substantial. Revenue targets must be met responsibly, reforms must produce practical results, personnel welfare must be sustained, and the promises of digitalisation and international cooperation must translate into better outcomes.
As the Nigeria Customs Service prepares for the CGC Conference and C-PACT 2026, the opportunity is clear: to consolidate the progress made, confront the challenges that remain and demonstrate that secure borders and efficient trade are complementary objectives.
That, ultimately, is the standard by which the reforms should be judged - and the legacy by which the Wale Adeniyi I know may be remembered.
Ire oo.
Omooba Olumuyiwa Adejobi, fnipr, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Oba Adejobi's House, Orile-Owu, Osun State, Nigeria
Princemoye@gmail.com
08037168147
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