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Nigeria Customs Service Prioritizes Digital Modernisation and Trade Facilitation
By prince Benson Davies
In a bid to improve the efficiency of its operations and enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service has concluded a high-level management workshop on trade facilitation reforms. The training, which was organised in partnership with Reverso Business Services Limited, aimed to accelerate the implementation of digital modernisation initiatives and remove bureaucratic bottlenecks within Nigeria’s trade corridors.
The engagement forms part of the Service’s broader reform agenda under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity, aligning operations with global best practices, and positioning Customs as a key driver of Nigeria’s economic growth.
The final day of the workshop focused on emerging trends in global trade, digital transformation and the evolving role of modern Customs administrations. Senior officers of the Service engaged in robust discussions on adaptive strategies, operational efficiency and stakeholder collaboration, reinforcing the NCS’s resolve to remain responsive in a rapidly changing trade environment.
Speaking at the session, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the dynamic nature of international trade and reiterated that the NCS is proactively implementing reforms to meet present and future challenges.
“Our environment will continue to be very dynamic. What will not change, however, is Nigeria’s expectation that Customs will contribute meaningfully to economic prosperity, public health and national security. When these elements come together, we are better positioned to facilitate trade,” he stated.
He further challenged officers to uphold high professional standards, describing the Service’s ongoing transformation as a deliberate effort to become a reference Customs administration known for accountability, responsiveness and performance.
“These are standards we voluntarily hold ourselves to. We want to be that reference organisation, responsive to our commitments and obligations and supportive of government efforts to create an environment where the economy can prosper,” Adeniyi added.
Also speaking, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Reverso Business Services Limited, Ayokunnu Ojeniyi, commended the NCS for its openness to innovation and institutional improvement. He emphasised the importance of embracing change and sustaining capacity-building initiatives to support effective trade facilitation.
“If you don’t take change by the hand, it will seize you by the throat. The environment is changing, and Customs must continue to manage that change proactively,” he said, urging participants to translate the lessons from the workshop into practical improvements across their respective formations.
The workshop aligns with the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing modernisation drive, which includes process automation, enhanced stakeholder engagement and strategic partnerships designed to improve service delivery and trade efficiency.
