WCO chairperson: Adeniyi’s re-election, Nigeria’s gain

For discerning Nigerians, particularly those in the import-export trade and related economic sectors, the recent re-election of the Comptroller General of Customs, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as the Chairperson of World Customs Organisation (WCO) did not come as a surprise going by the feats he has achieved since being at the helm of affairs at the nation’s prime trade facilitation agency.

Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, it is recalled, was initially appointed the acting Comptroller General of Customs of NCS by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023. His appointment was confirmed in October of the same year.

The NCS CG’s tenure was billed to end on August 31, 2025 but his outstanding performance made President Tinubu to extend his tenure.

Adeniyi’s first tenure extension was due to expire on August 1, 2026, but President Tinubu in June 2026 approved an additional six months to enable him to complete key reforms within the Customs Service.

The final six-month tenure extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, will allow him to remain in office until February 2027.

Announcing the final six-month tenure extension of Adeniyi’s appointment as NCS CG, Special Adviser to the president on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, said the extension “will enable Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete critical initiatives of this administration”.

Some of the reforms the NCS CG was tasked with included the modernisation of the NCS, implementation of the national single window project, and execution of Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.

“President Tinubu recognises Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service.

“The President is confident that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security,” the statement added.

The Customs CG tenure has witnessed remarkable feats many thought was impossible.

In the past three years of being at the helm of affairs at NCS, Adeniyi has grown the agency merely known for collecting duties to being the front line agency for revenue generation, trade facilitation, data governance, and national security.

The NCS, under Adeniyi, in 2023 collected ₦3.21 trillion as duties.  In 2024, that figure nearly doubled to ₦6.105 trillion.  By 2025, collections rose further to ₦7.27 trillion.

Between January and June 2026, NCS had already collected ₦4.043 trillion. This growth was not driven by duty hikes but by reforms undertaken by the NCS CG and his management. Other reforms included Unified Customs Management System, B’Odogwu, primed to cut human interference and leakages; Intelligence-led enforcement targeted high-risk cargo instead of harassing everyone; and Stakeholder engagement which brought more importers into the formal net.

Under the NCS CG watch, clearance times of imports have dropped significantly. Time Release Studies are now used to measure and improve port efficiency.  Advanced Ruling gives importers certainty on duties before goods arrive.  24-Hour Operations at major ports mean cargo moves on weekends too.  The AEO programme rewards compliant companies with green lanes.  Dispute Resolution Desks settle valuation issues in 48 hours, not three weeks. The NCS now meets weekly with NPA, shipping lines, and terminal operators. The silos are breaking.

For manufacturers, it means no more shut-downs or waiting for raw materials. For exporters, it means Nigerian goods get to market faster. For Nigerians, it means lower prices because demurrage costs are falling.

Over all, Adeniyi’s leadership of the NCS has been marked by bold initiatives that have improved revenue generation, strengthened border security, facilitated legitimate trade, and modernised customs operations through homegrown innovations such as B’Odogwu.

These, among other outstanding feats, no doubt, did not go unnoticed by members of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), who during the organisation’s 147th and 148th council sessions held in Brussels, Belgium in July 2026, unanimously re-elected the NCS CG as the chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) council.

He was first elected WCO chairperson in June 2025, becoming the first Nigerian to lead the organisation’s governing body since its establishment in 1953.

Reacting to the NCS CG’s re-election as chairperson of WCO, President Tinubu in a congratulatory message said the overwhelming confidence reposed in Adeniyi by customs administrations across the world reflected the remarkable progress recorded under his leadership and the growing international recognition of the NCS as one of the world’s leading customs institutions.

“Adeniyi’s unanimous re-election is not only a personal honour to Adeniyi, but also a recognition of Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs administration. His leadership of the NCS has been marked by bold initiatives that have improved revenue generation, strengthened border security, facilitated legitimate trade, and modernised customs operations through homegrown innovations.

“I am confident that his second term at the WCO will further deepen international collaboration, promote secure and efficient global trade, and bring even greater honour to our country,” President Tinubu said.

“The reforms being implemented by the NCS are contributing significantly to our administration’s economic objectives. Through innovation, improved border management, enhanced trade facilitation, and greater institutional efficiency, the Service is supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda while reinforcing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global commerce. The international confidence demonstrated through this re-election is a reflection of the quality of leadership and institutional transformation taking place within the Service,” the President added.

It is therefore no gainsaying that Adeniyi’s re-election as WCO chairperson was in recognition of his stellar performance since becoming the NCS CG.

The NCS CG’s re-election indeed is Nigeria’s gain. With Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi at the helm of affairs at the WCO, there is no doubt that Nigeria’s voice at the global customs’ organisation will be louder and stronger.

Again, the reforms that Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has implemented at the NCS that has lifted the agency to the high pedestal it is currently is now be in focus as member nations of the WCO seek Nigeria’s assistance through the NCS in implementing solutions to advance their agencies.

While congratulating the NCS CG for his stellar performance that earned him re-election as WCO chairperson, it is the belief of many stakeholders that Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi will not rest on his oars. The NCS CG knowing that the eyes of the world, particularly his peers at the WCO are on him, should ensure that he leaves indelible marks that will guide future generations of leadership of the organisation.

At home, we recommend that heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and their managements take time to study what Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and his management has done with a view to adopting requisite measures to ensure that their organisations deliver on their mandates in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

It is hoped that the NCS CG and his management will not let down their guards but continue to push further the frontiers for the good of Nigeria. Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s stellar performance at the NCS remains exemplary for generations to come and his re-election as the WCO chairperson is testimony of his good stewardship. We believe that the NCS GC will continue the path that he has undertaken which has taken him to the pinnacle of the leadership of world customs organisation. His re-election as WCO chairperson is truly Nigeria’s gain.

At this crucial moment in Nigeria’s history, what the country requires are more leaders like Dr. Adewale Adeniyi, who bring their best to the table and inspire others to do the same. His tenure at the helm of the Nigeria Customs Service stands as a testament to the transformative power of strong, visionary leadership.