By Iluole Iwenekha
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, by one year — a move the Presidency says is aimed at consolidating ongoing reforms and ensuring continuity in critical initiatives.
The extension, which takes effect upon the expiration of Adeniyi’s current tenure on August 31, 2025, is rooted in the President’s confidence in the Customs chief’s leadership, commitment to service, and ability to deliver on the administration’s strategic priorities.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, noted that the one-year extension will allow Mr. Adeniyi to advance key initiatives such as the full modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service, the implementation of the National Single Window Project, and the execution of Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.
Since assuming office as Comptroller-General in 2023, Adeniyi has driven wide-ranging reforms in the service, earning him accolades within and outside government. His tenure has been marked by aggressive anti-smuggling operations, improved transparency in customs processes, the strengthening of border security, and a noticeable increase in non-oil revenue generation for the federation.
Mr. Adeniyi also led efforts to digitise Customs operations, promoted integrity and accountability among officers, and improved trade facilitation processes through collaborative stakeholder engagement. The Service, under his leadership, has also significantly improved its collaboration with other security and regulatory agencies, both locally and internationally.
President Tinubu, according to the statement, believes that the extension will “further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.”
With the renewed mandate, stakeholders expect that Adeniyi will push forward the realisation of a fully automated, intelligence-driven Customs system that aligns with global best practices and supports the administration’s economic reform agenda.
