The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged to promote global innovation and modernisation in customs operations as he assumes his new role as Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO). His emergence marks a historic first for Nigeria and West Africa in global customs leadership.
Speaking during a press briefing in Apapa, Lagos, following the formal handover of 25 seized containers containing prohibited and unregistered products to officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Adeniyi described his election as a “humbling experience” that signals international recognition of Nigeria’s customs reforms.
Adeniyi was officially elected Chair of the World Customs Organization Council — the highest decision-making body in global customs — during the 145th/146th WCO Council meetings held in Brussels, Belgium, in June 2025. He takes over from Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service.
His unopposed candidacy received overwhelming backing from multiple global regions. Initially nominated by the West and Central African bloc comprising 23 member nations, Adeniyi went on to receive endorsements from four other WCO regional groupings. By the final day of the Council meeting, even the Asia-Pacific region had stepped down its nominee, paving the way for his historic election.
“This is a clear validation that the global customs community is paying attention to what we are doing in Nigeria,” Adeniyi told journalists. “It shows confidence in our reforms, the tools we’ve deployed, and our broader journey towards customs modernisation.”
He noted that the adoption of WCO tools such as Advanced Ruling Systems, the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme, and the Time Release Study (TRS) has played a critical role in enhancing trade facilitation and boosting Nigeria’s customs performance.
Adeniyi emphasized that his chairmanship would focus on strengthening digital innovation, improving risk management, deploying non-intrusive inspection technologies, and bolstering intelligence-led customs operations across member nations.
“We must integrate automation into all our processes. We must allow risk management to drive our operations. We must make better use of intelligence and adopt scanning technology to improve clearance and enforcement,” he said.
He also called on stakeholders across global trade supply chains — governments, private sector actors, and regulatory agencies — to support efforts toward a seamless, technology-driven customs environment. Adeniyi said global best practices remain the benchmark for customs operations in Nigeria and beyond.
The new WCO chair has over three decades of experience in customs administration, policy, and international cooperation. His tenure as Comptroller-General, which began under President Bola Tinubu’s administration in 2023, has been defined by aggressive reforms, operational restructuring, and a renewed emphasis on compliance, efficiency, and trade facilitation.
His WCO leadership is expected to further elevate Nigeria’s standing in the global trade arena while opening doors for deeper collaboration with other customs administrations and international bodies.
Customs insiders and international trade observers have lauded Adeniyi’s emergence, calling it a win not just for Nigeria, but for Africa at large. His chairmanship of the WCO Council places Nigeria at the heart of global decisions around customs standards, enforcement cooperation, trade facilitation, and digitalisation.
Industry analysts believe Adeniyi’s election could accelerate the adoption of smart customs technologies in Nigeria, foster better regional customs integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and help curb illicit trade across borders.
Back home, stakeholders say Adeniyi’s international role must now be matched with further domestic reforms to simplify clearance processes, eliminate corruption, and promote investment-friendly customs procedures.
As Nigeria’s top customs officer ascends to the helm of the world’s customs community, his promise to promote innovation, collaboration, and integrity marks a new chapter — one where local customs reforms align with global standards. Adewale Adeniyi’s rise to WCO Chair is not just a personal milestone but a signal that Nigeria’s customs system is finally earning international credibility and respect.