By Emeka Okoroanyanwu
Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi in Abuja, this week, at the just concluded CGC’s Annual Conference announced a humongous revenue haul of N5.07 trillion for this year, thus, exceeding the Service’s total revenue target for the entire year, put at N5.07trillion.
The revenue also exceeded what the Nigeria Customs Service has ever earned in several years. This achievement, which comes with dint of hard work, passion for the job and patriotism has elicited joyous celebrations by officers and men of the NCS who reacted and settled quickly to Adeniyi’s reform agenda.
The achievement did not also come without commendation from the Presidency and President Tinubu himself, who applauded the Wale Adeniyi led Nigerian Customs Service for a job well done.
Adeniyi’s series of achievements at the Customs House since being appointed the CGC has been remarkable and profound.
Since he mounted the saddle at Customs House, Abuja, as the Controller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), no one ever doubted his ability to deliver on demand.
For sure, Adeniyi came with a rich pedigree. Suave, high integrity, transparency, intelligent and a profound professional candour.
With such an impressive resume, along with a huge appetite for reforms, many are not surprised at what he has achieved in so short a time of being the helmsman of the NCS.
During these active sixteen months, Adeniyi has demonstrated competence, passion, capacity and a clear vision of where he is headed.
Under Adeniyi’s charismatic leadership, the Nigeria Customs Service has undergone tremendous transformation as his quick-do- it approach has re-engineered and rebranded the Service, leading to great improvements in service delivery, especially in the areas of revenue generation, border and people protection, trade facilitation, anti-smuggling campaigns and image reconstruction.
Once appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adeniyi engaged critical stakeholders with the aim of securing their buy-in on his momentum and activities. Such stakeholders as the National Assembly, the press, host communities, sister security agencies and other government agencies and MDAs were visited by the CGC.
These strategic engagements paid off as the stakeholders pledged their support and collaboration. With assurances of co-operation by stakeholders, the Comptroller General went ahead with the task at hand and within the first two months in office, the Customs hauled in a revenue of N343 billion, representing 70 percent increase in the revenue earned in the same period of the previous year. Since then, there has been a steady revenue upswing, with the NCS announcing a haul in revenue of N2.74 trillion in the first half of the year, 2024, as against N2.4 trillion during the corresponding period of last year.
The Customs Service also generated a total of N3.206 trillion last year, 2023, a 21.4 percent increase from the preceding year’s total of N2.641 trillion.
While briefing the press early this year, the CGC said the increased revenue collection from the Customs Service aligns with a consistent upward trajectory of revenue, thus, underscoring the NCS sustained efforts in optimizing revenue collection for the federal government.
Adewale also disclosed that the Services monthly revenue collection was exceeded by 6.71 percent to N332.9 billion in the second half of last year as against the N201.7 billion monthly in the second half of 2022.
The increase in revenue comes with a strategic approach which the CGC employed. Such measures include the establishment of a Revenue Review Recovery Team and the dissolution of former Strike Force Teams while also streamlining enforcements under the Federal Operations Unit (FOU).
Other measures Adeniyi employed to increase revenue include reassignments of Area Controllers, creation of an ideas bank and extensive stakeholder engagements.
In acknowledging the revenue upswing, Adeniyi was honoured by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with “Outstanding Revenue Collection” accolade on July 6, 2024.
For this year, the NCS has been given a revenue target of N5.079 trillion, thus, acknowledging the agency as a critical revenue organ of government.
In the area of security, the CGC deployed intelligence gathering and partnering with sister security agencies to ward off illegal encroachments in the country’s economic landscape.
This paid off as the NCS made a total of 3,806 seizures with Duty Paid Value of N16,049,023,262 in 2023. The confiscations include arms and ammunition, artifacts and antiques, illicit drugs, expired food products.
Since coming into office, Adeniyi has recorded 52 convictions,11 of which is in the area of illicit trade in animal /wildlife smuggling.
In June 2024, the NCS under CGC Adeniyi also intercepted and seized containers carrying hard drugs, including 1,050,000 bottles of CS Cough syrup with codeine, 3,500,000 tablets of tramadol, all with Duty Paid Value of N9.6 billion at Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Also arrested was a trailer load of weapons illegally shipped into the country through the same port. This includes hundreds of pump action rifles, double barrel shotguns and live ammunitions with Duty Paid Value of N4.17bn.
Only two weeks ago, the NCS intercepted a large cache of arms and illegal drugs from Onne Port, prompting the CG to declare an emergency on onne port.
Similar seizure of arms and ammunition have been made at Tin can island port, Lagos, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and other border posts in the country.
On July 4, 2024, NCS intercepted 55 unassembled semi-automatic shotguns and military uniforms from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
Adeniyi said the successes recorded by his organization came through hard work, dedication of staff to duty and motivation of the workforce which has engendered a culture of professionalism and team spirit.
Since coming to office, Adeniyi has promoted the culture of transparency and integrity in the NCS.
As an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Adeniyi effected the seizure of $8.07 million that was being illegally being taken out of the country. This was in spite of the huge inducements offered to him to halt the seizure.
Adeniyi is reputed to be a no nonsense CG who does not condone indiscipline among rank and file officers as those found complicit in illegal activities are made to face the law.
Adeniyi has equally improved trade facilitation, employing various strategies to achieve this. These initiatives include the introduction of the Advanced Ruling System, aligning NCS operations with global best practices, and meeting up with the recommendations of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Assets Agreement (WTOTFA).
He has also empowered the inauguration of a steering committee on the implementation of Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) for compliant traders, enabling the NCS to reach the AOE concept.
The NCS under Adeniyi’s watch has also responded to changes in legislation, engagements with the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NCFC), initiated social responsibility projects, collaborated efforts with sister security agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Police, Navy, ETC. Another of CGC Adeniyi’s achievements is conducting a smooth transition from the Repealed Customs and Exercise Act of 2004 to the newly signed Nigeria Customs Service Act of 2023. The new act strengthens the modernization of the NCS operations, compliance and enforcement with features that promote innovation within the Service.
Under the CGC, the NCS has enhanced personal welfare, initiating work-life balance while also introducing the electronic auction system to dispose over time cargoes at the ports. The measures are meant to enthrone transparent and reduce human contacts in the auctioning of overtime cargoes.
The initiatives by the CGC were aimed at playing crucial role in achieving anticipated revenue goals, improved trade facilitation, while also keeping the people and the borders safe.
Adeniyi’s high-flying transformational agenda did not escape the attention of both local and international stakeholders among which is the World Customs Organization (WCO).
In a letter of commendation, WCO Director, Larry Liza, hailed the NCS remarkable 74% growth in revenue since Adeniyi’s tenure, marking a significant milestone in Customs administration.
“We extend our warmest congratulations to the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi and the Nigeria Customs Service for achieving 74% growth in revenue in the last year. This outstanding feat has not gone unnoticed and stands as a testament to your dedication and effective leadership,” said Larry Liza.
The WCO highlighted areas of exceptional achievements by the NCS to include revenue collection, trade facilitation, societal protection, and stakeholder collaboration, adding that, under CG Adeniyi’s guidance, “the NCS has demonstrated commendable resilience and innovation, particularly in streaming operations and enforcing critical directives for the benefit of the nation.”
The WCO added, ”we applaud the NCS’s proactive measures against smuggling and other illicit activities, which have reinforced border security and contributed to Nigeria’s economic stability.”
Still applauding the CGC, the WCO said “we continue to draw inspiration from CG Adeniyi’s leadership, which transcends borders and exemplifies excellence in Customs management”.
The WCO’s recognition and commendation underscore the significant strides Adeniyi has taken to reposition the Nigeria Customs Service. In just over 365 days as the CGC, Adeniyi has accomplished so much at the Customs House that one would think he has stayed for years.
Yet, the CGC is not yet done. In a media chat in June this year to mark his one year in office, Adeniyi unveiled an extensive plan to transform Nigeria into Africa’s most efficient trading nation and decongest area within 4 kilometers around ports for easy cargo passage.
He also plans to enforce the 48-hour clearance of goods at seaports, implementing the National Single Window Trading Platform project to streamline imports and exports processes.
Adeniyi also wants to establish dedicated seaport and Airport export terminals with enhanced capacity, and also to upgrade ports access roads.
He also intends to declare emergency on revenue collection, review and restructure existing incentives, waivers and tariffs aimed at plugging economic leakages and boost strategic sectors of the economy.
As part of its mandate to protect society, Adeniyi plans to continue to promote strategic communication and engagement with key stakeholders while also aligning NCS operations to support six out of the eight Presidential Priority Areas (PPAs) that fall within its statutory functions.
These priority areas include reforming the economy to foster sustained growth, strengthening national security to promote peace and prosperity in the country, and enforcing cross-border protection to achieve food security.
In his 14 months on the seat, Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has shown great capacity and big appetite to accomplish assigned tasks.
Today, no one, and not even his fiercest critics harbour any doubt on his ability to deliver on his mandate.
