Adeniyi’s Transformation of Nigeria Customs Service

Eromosele Abiodun highlights major success recorded by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, since he assumed office about eight months ago

When he assumed office as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on June 25, 2023, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi promised to turn around the fortunes of the service. Eight months after, it is clear even to cynics that Adeniyi has transform the Nigeria Customs Service.

The Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of Adeniyi, has shown a positive performance in revenue collection. He has galvanized stakeholders in the maritime industry preaching about the need to put Nigeria first as enshrined in the campaign manifesto of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has improved revenue collection through various measures, including optimising revenue collection, plugging revenue leakages, and addressing gaps in the customs clearance process. Last year the service generated a record N3.2 trillion revenue, representing a 21.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023 in acting capacity, stakeholders in the maritime industry lauded the move as a square peg in a square hole and since then, Adeniyi has hit the ground running.

Assuming the helm of affairs of the service October last year as the substantive Comptroller General of Customs, Adeniyi vowed to reposition the service to tackle its failure to maximise its capacity in revenue generation and insulate the economy from the menace of smuggling and in less than five months in office, different operational zones across the country have stepped up their ante for improved service delivery to Nigerians.

He also promised to collaborate with stakeholders in an attempt to find lasting solutions to resolve the challenges in cargo clearance procedures.

Prior to his appointment, the service collected an average revenue of N202 billion monthly in the first half of 2023, which later increased to over N333.9 billion in October representing a 65.5 per cent increase.

Courtesy of an effective and efficient partnership with the National Assembly, the Service has been strengthened to achieve an unprecedented increase in revenue generation.

Revenue generation

In less than three months as the substantive Comptroller General of Customs, Adeniyi has prioritised efforts in blocking revenue leakages particularly in the context of the Nigeria Customs Service. According to him, this effort aims to improve revenue generation and maximise the remittance of accrued revenue. His role in minimising revenue leakage is seen as a collective responsibility, and there is recognition of the impact of such efforts on progress and revenue generation. The collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is part of the initiative to curb revenue leakages and boost federal income. 

While setting a target of generating N6 trillion revenue in 2024, Adeniyi also stated that the NCS will drive more efficient, transparent, and revenue-optimised operations in 2024. The customs boss expressed his commitment to revenue generation while also outlining innovative strategies to achieve the NCS’s revenue targets.

Recently, he said improved revenue collection in the second half of the year played a crucial role in significantly reducing the revenue shortfall by 10 per cent from N532 billion to N478 billion last year.

Establishment of RRR Team

In a bid to further strengthen the NCS’s revenue generating capacity, the customs boss, established a Revenue Review Recovery Team, dissolved the existing Strike Force Teams, and streamlined enforcement under the Federal Operations Unit (FOU).

The Revenue Review Recovery Team ‘s primary role is to identify operational inefficiencies, human errors, and fraud. The team was also mandated focus on recovering lost or uncollected revenues due to these factors, ensuring compliance with customs regulations, laws, and procedures. The team will also ensure that all available income streams are collected and documented, adhering to the relevant customs regulations and laws.

The team tracks and analyzes revenue performance to identify potential bottlenecks or delays that may need attention

The team was also directed to develop strategies to improve overall performance and recover lost revenue.

Harping on effective stakeholders collaboration, the team will work closely with various stakeholders, including customs officers, importers, and exporters, to ensure the successful implementation of revenue recovery strategies

By focusing on these key areas, the Revenue Review Recovery Team aims to optimize revenue collection and contribute to the financial health of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Other notable policy changes included the strategic reassignments of Customs Area Controllers, the creation of an ideas bank, and extensive stakeholder engagements – all of which collectively contributed to the impressive rebound in customs revenue generation last year.

Massive Seizures 

Under Adeniyi’s leadership, the NCS has made significant seizures of contraband and illegal items imported or smuggled into the country. 

For instance, in Ogun State, the Ogun 1 Area Command seized 1,436 used Pneumatic tyres, 53 sacks, and 569 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, weighing a total of 1,179 kilogrammes, and 3,149 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilograms. In July and August 2023, the NCS secured 1,763 seizures worth N11.9 billion to deter smuggling. In October 2023, the NCS reported a total of 1763 seizures worth N11.9 billion in July and August 2023. According to him, these seizures demonstrate the NCS’s commitment to protecting Nigerians from the actions of smugglers and other undesirable elements.

With his supervision, the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja, intercepted imported used cars (tokunbo), bags of foreign parboiled rice, and other contrabands worth N1.8bn.

The seizures which took place at various times and locations within the border corridors of the South-Western States ensured that other items such as 35,100 liters of premium motor spirit, 1,100 liters of diesel, one 40-foot container carrying 360 bales of used clothes. One 40-foot container containing 150 cartons of ladies’ handbags, 50 bales of nickers, one 20-foot container of unprocessed wood were seized.

Adeniyi also handed over seized illicit drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja, and also declared an emergency against drug abuse in collaboration with NDLEA. The seizures were 14,340 kilograms of parcel of compresses indian hemp, 660 packs of Tramadol, 225mg, 50 parcels of books, 292 Jumbo sacks, 1,461 compressed Indian Hemp, 1,765 packs of Indian hemp, 960 sacks (1kg each), 2,042 packets of D5 and others.

Officers’ career development

Under his reign, a number of capacity development programmes have been organised locally and internationally for officers. During the second half of 2023, a total of 6000 officers travelled abroad for different capacity programmes. He also facilitated the completion of the promotion exercise for its staff where over 2,400 officers have benefited from the scheme. Going forward in 2024, the NCS boss said he has a vision of using staff motivation to achieve a N5.1 trillion revenue target.

“We need to motivate our officers a little bit more because the last time we reviewed their salaries was over five years ago and I think we are due for another review and we will also take a second look at some of the allowances have been taken to do their jobs. We will also look at exit packages for officers who are retiring so that they will concentrate on the job while they are on active service, “he stated.

Under his watch, 50 Officers of Junior (Course 16) graduated from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja. The feat was of the commitment of the staff college’s dogged efforts to refine the work efficiency of the Officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service through training and re-training.

Facilitating the new NCS Act

Recently in an interview on Arise News Channel, broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, Adeniyi said he is working on implementing the new Nigeria Customs Service NCS Act. The NCS Act, 2023, aims to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to achieve fiscal policies of the government and enhance its efficiency and effectiveness.

He added that Customs need an act that creates the right environment to facilitate trade in its contribution to making Nigeria a profitable trading community.

According to him, some of the provisions in the Act envisages that in 2024 and beyond, his administration will be carrying out more practical efforts to achieve its mandate.

“I talked about initiatives and provisions such as the use of authorised economic operators. This has been provided for and particularly, the Dispute Resolution System to ensure that Customs will not be the accused and the judge in cases that involves importers and agents. We have taken measures to begin implementation of this initiative from the first quarter of 2024,” he said.

Stakeholders’ commendation 

Industry stakeholders have applauded the NCS boss stressing that his performance in just a few moths in office showed that President Tinubu made the right choice.

Speaking, the President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Tochukwu Ezeisi, said that freight forwarders are happy for the first time in years because “our issues are being discussed and decisions are taken immediately.”

“Adewale has shown seriousness in achieving his three-point agenda by bringing back this Conference, which is an avenue to listen to stakeholders, and we are ready to always work with the Service.” He added.

The Deputy President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Kazeem Isa Adua, stated, “The CGC has done well in organizing this Conference and with the positive body language seen today. We should expect a smooth and optimized clearance process soon”.

On his part, the Secretary General of the Customs Consultative Council, Eugene Nweke, noted that Adeniyi’s appointment is tantamount to placing a round peg in a round hole, given his wealth of experience, training and exposure as a former National Public Relations of the service.

According to him, the appointment is even more strategic given the timing, having come after eight years of imposition of a military officer as the head of a very specialised agency such as the Customs, which came with a lot of distortions in the processes of the service, discontent among the entire workforce and the unfortunate balkanisation of the image of the service among the comity of trading nations.

“The appointment of Wale Adeniyi as the substantive CG of Customs came at the most auspicious time to begin to repair and heal the damage of eight years in the psyche of the service. It also came at the time the service needed to be refocused and reposition among comity of Customs Administrations across the globe, “he said.