Adeniyi: Surpassing Expectations as NCS Boss

Apart from dismantling obstacles to trade and prioritising efficiency in service delivery as the bedrock of trade facilitation, Wale Adeniyi has surpassed revenue generation target by a huge margin, writes Eromosele Abiodun

On June 27, 2023 when he took over the helm of affairs at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as the Comptroller-General, Mr. Basir Adewale Adeniyi, promised to dismantle obstacles to trade and prioritise efficiency in service delivery and as the bedrock of trade facilitation and revenue generation.

According to him, “No longer shall encumbrances impede trade – we shall dismantle obstacles and foster a new culture of consultations and compliance.”

Also promising to prioritise staff welfare and training, Adeniyi said his administration would work diligently to implement career advancement opportunities approved by the board, and ensure that competence remained the sole criterion for assigning responsibilities and measuring effectiveness.

Speaking shortly after he officially took over from the erstwhile CG, Col. Ahmed Ali (Rtd) who led the service for about seven and a half years, Adeniyi also promised to adopt a bottom-up approach, where the needs of the country would take precedence over everything else.

He said he remained humbled and honoured by the trust placed in him by President, Bola Tinubu, describing it as a call to duty that signifies a great responsibility to serve the nation as trade facilitators and enforcers of government policy.

He acknowledged that the task was a delicate balancing act that demands professionalism, integrity, and the highest ethical standards.

Adeniyi said in order to achieve set objectives; it was crucial to bridge the current human resource gap within the service ranks.

He promised to build on the successes of his predecessors whom he said had set the service on the pedestal of modernisation through various policy reforms. 

He said, “Our focus is on cultivating a highly skilled workforce that is equipped to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

“Staff welfare is of paramount importance to us. We acknowledge the harsh and hostile environment in which our officers and men are compelled to function. Therefore, we commit ourselves to prioritise the welfare and well being of our personnel.

“By providing better remunerations, improved accommodation, life insurance, and quality healthcare, we aim to create an environment that supports and motivates our workforce. We understand that a well-motivated team is instrumental in achieving our aims and objectives.”

A Promise Kept

For those who were not familiar with the promises made by Adeniyi on assumption of office, the above highlights may suffice. Looking back, one can now see the wisdom behind the appointment of Adeniyi as NCS boss. Apart from transforming the service operational wise, Adeniyi has also recorded stellar performance in revenue generation.

Recently, the Nigeria Customs Service disclosed that it generated N2.74 trillion in the first half of 2024, surpassing the N2.54 trillion target by eight per  cent.

The performance also represented a 127 per cent increase over the previous year’s revenue.

The service collected N1.39 trillion in the second quarter of the year, exceeding the quarterly target by 10 per cent and 131 per cent increase over Q2 2023.

In a statement, Chief Superintendent of Customs/

National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, attributed the positive performance to initiatives including the e-auction platform, which generated over N1.34 billion, and the 90-day duty payment window for uncustomed vehicles which raked in N4.37 billion.

He said these measures have significantly enhanced transparency, compliance, and efficiency in customs processes, underscoring its commitment to excellence.

The statement added that the service intensified its anti-smuggling operations in Q1 2024, resulting in notable achievements. 

Maiwada said, “From January to June 2024, the NCS made 2,442 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of NGN 25,520,652,942.87, which is 203 per cent higher than the DPV of seizures in the first half of 2023. 

“In the second quarter of 2024, the NCS made 1,334 seizures with a DPV of NGN 17,564,384,378, representing a 121 per cent increase over the first quarter of 2024. 

“The top items seized include wildlife items, vehicles, arms and ammunition, foreign rice, pharmaceuticals, and narcotics, with 32 suspects in custody. “

He said trade facilitation remained a core priority for the NCS, stating that it processed 620,467 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs), reflecting a reduction of approximately 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. 

He said despite the decline, the NCS had implemented several key initiatives to simplify and expedite customs processes, including reinforcement of NCS automation procedures, capacity-building programs for officers, and public-private partnerships to enhance customs clearance efficiency.

These efforts, he noted, remained crucial for enhancing the country’s trade competitiveness and supporting economic growth.

He said despite the achievements, the NCS faced several challenges in the review period, particularly the significant fluctuations in the exchange rate, a lower volume of transactions, low compliance levels among importers and exporters, and periodic downtime. 

He said these limitations impacted the consistency of revenue collection and overall operational efficiency. 

“To address these challenges and enhance revenue collection, the NCS implemented several strategies, including real-time system auditing, post-clearance audits, verification of documents for the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), ensuring compliance with import guidelines, and the implementation of a pilot test for the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) scheme,” he said.

In addition, he pointed out that the service recently introduced the Advance Ruling System (ARS), a legally binding decision on classification, valuation, and rules of origin before the importation or exportation of goods. 

“Other pragmatic measures implemented to increase revenue, despite a drop in cargo throughput, included establishing a robust framework for dispute resolution, launching Operation Whirlwind, reshuffling strategic-level officers and robust stakeholders’ engagement,” Maiwada added.

Stellar Revenue Generation

Early May this year, Adeniyi disclosed that the service recorded a total revenue collection of N4.49 trillion between June 2023 and May 2024.

The performance represented a remarkable growth of 74 per cent in revenue collection when compared to N2.58 trillion collected during the corresponding period of the previous year.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, at a briefing on the performance of the service in one year, Adeniyi said the achievement was underpinned by a sustained increase of 70.13 per cent in average monthly revenue collection compared to the previous year.

He said NCS recorded an average monthly revenue of N343 billion, compared to N202 billion, and added that there was a substantial 122.35 per cent rise in revenue collection during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year.

Adeniyi attributed the gains recorded to various strategic initiatives, including N15 billion recovery by the Revenue Review Performance Recovery exercise; N2.79 billion recovered from the 90-day window for the regularisation of the documents of uncustomed vehicles; and N1.5 billion recovered from the decongestion of 1,705 overtime containers and 981 vehicles from the ports.

The CGC stated that NCS recorded a daily all-time-high collection of N58.5 billion on June 13, 2024. He said the deployment of officers to sensitive posts on the basis of merit and capacity also contributed to the positive revenue performance under the review period.

NCS’s anti-smuggling efforts intensified within the review period, resulting in significant interceptions, high-value seizures, and numerous arrests.

According to him, the service recorded 63 seizures related to animal and wildlife products valued at N566 million, including seven seizures of arms and ammunition made through the country’s ports and borders.

He said in terms of illicit drugs, a combined total of 127 cases involving narcotics and pharmaceutical products valued at over N6 billion were confiscated.

War on Smuggling

Adeniyi said the service recorded 724 seizures, involving 2.93 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, that were about to be smuggled out of the country.

He said the illegal dealings in petroleum evacuation had attracted the interest of relevant stakeholders, stressing that ongoing Operation Whirlwind will continue to intercept and disrupt the activities of smugglers in this regard.

Adeniyi also said in a bid to guarantee food security and suppress the smuggling of food in and out of the country, NCS recorded 1,744 cases of rice and grain seizures valued at N4.4 billion. He pointed out that the concerted efforts underscored the service’s commitment to protecting society and ensuring national security.

TRADE FACILITATION

On trade facilitation, Adeniyi said significant achievements had been made in the decongestion of ports and reopening of previously inaccessible access roads.

Among other things, the customs boss revealed that stakeholders had reached an agreement to set up a technical working group supported by the Ministry of Finance, comprising all relevant agencies involved in the processing of medicaments.

He said the move aimed at developing specific clearance procedures for medicaments and to institutionalise a platform with customs for setting up a special corridor dedicated to the clearance of healthcare products.

That followed the service’s most recent engagement with the Health Federation of Nigeria (HFN), whereby greater cooperation and collaboration were emphasised, particularly, to reduce the cost and time for medicament clearance, Adeniyi stated.

Providing further account of the NCS performance over the past year under his stewardship, Adeniyi said the customs would continue to work with relevant national and international agencies to share intelligence and develop structured frameworks to ensure that those seeking to disrupt the peace and stability of the country did not go unpunished.

On food inflation currently ravaging the country, Adeniyi said the service will continue to work to ensure that the business of food hoarders remained unprofitable.

COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY

He said the NCS was committed to ensuring transparency in its operations and sharing relevant and credible information with members of the public.

The customs head said NSC also remained open to fact-based constructive criticisms, and promised to be open to address such issues.

Adeniyi stated that one of the leading policy measures implemented under the guidance of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy was the transition from the repealed Customs and Excise Act of 2004 to the newly signed Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023.

He said the new Act strengthened the modernisation of NCS operations, compliance, and enforcement, with features that promoted innovation within the service.

He said, “This included extensive sensitisation efforts for all stakeholders involved in the customs process, ensuring they were informed about the new laws and had a clear understanding of the implications of the features introduced in the NCS Act of 2023. The new act also forms the basis for several trade facilitation measures currently being pursued by NCS.”

Adeniyi added, “It has been one year since my appointment as Comptroller-General, and we continue to recall the euphoria and enthusiasm that greeted the announcement, considering that after eight years, a serving career customs officer had been appointed to this esteemed position. It has been a year of continuous work and dedicated efforts to ensure that we deliver on the mandate and trust that has been reposed in customs. I must emphasise that all the measures and recorded successes would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our officers and men.”

The CGC used the occasion to remember customs officers who paid the ultimate price in the service of their fatherland, and requested that a minute of silence be observed in their honour.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his support and confidence reposed in him and the service.

Adeniyi also expressed gratitude to the finance minister and Chairman of the NCS board for their support.