By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Bashir Adeniyi, has commissioned the newly reconstructed Tin Can Island Port, TCIP Customs administrative building and two new facilities.

However, the renovation came after forty years of the initial construction of the building.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the Command complex in Apapa, Adeniyi commended Comptroller Dera Nnadi, and his team for their dedication to transforming the command’s infrastructure, saying that the remodeling was award-winning and would be celebrated at the NCS 2024 end-of-year awards.

He urged other Area Controllers to emulate Nnadi’s initiative by engaging stakeholders to drive impactful projects.

He said: “I want to commend Comptroller Dera Nnadi and all his men for the initiative of getting this done. When he told me about it, I never knew it was such a gigantic project. This is an award-winning project,”

“The award for the Nigeria Customs Service in 2024which was supposed to have taken place two weeks ago, will now take place in two days’ time, and as Comptroller General of Customs, we will not forget this project” he said.

He emphasized the importance of collaboration in modernizing customs operations, adding that the project symbolizes the strength of partnerships within the industry.

Continuing, the Customs CGC said:
“I made it very clear on assumption of duty that one of my policy thrusts would be collaboration. I’ve discovered that there is strength in complementing what we do and what we can do for each other.

“All of us bring different attributes to the table, and in a modern organization, we tap into the strength of each and every one of us. We ensure that we reduce duplication and optimize the resources we can get for maximum objectives.

“We have seen this worked out in several ways in the last one year. Our revenue generation is nothing but the product of deliberate collaboration with all our stakeholders. When we get intelligence about things that threaten our security, it is a product of collaboration. I am very, very happy that our officers in all the commands—it’s the same story I hear in Apapa, in PTML, in Airports, in Lekki—that we have created an environment that allows us to collaborate and work more effectively with other agencies of government.

“I am indeed very delighted about this. What we are seeing today is also the product of collaboration.
“Our stakeholders are now stepping forward to say they can help us improve the quality of our workplace. I am indeed very, very happy that what we have is a demonstration that collaboration pays.

“I acknowledge all of you, stakeholders, who have contributed to delivering this project. We are very happy with you and will continue to extend the frontiers of collaboration—not only in these kinds of spheres but also to deepen them in our operations to ensure that we deliver better service to our country.

“There are so many potentials for collaboration. Between us, Customs, and other agencies of government, the government is working on a single window to bring all of us into an automated platform that will allow regulatory oversight and operational generalization to be done in a very fast and efficient manner.

“To all other stakeholders—customs agents, terminal operators, shipping companies, all of us—the more we work together, the easier and more efficient we are going to be. So I, therefore, thank most sincerely all of you that have made this possible.”

In his remark, Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, said since the inception of Tin Can Island Command in 1977, no major modernization had been undertaken.

He said: “For decades, our officers worked within outdated infrastructure. Today, we witness a transformation that symbolizes a future committed to service excellence”.

He revealed that the command achieved a revenue milestone in 2024, generating over N1.125 trillion for the first time in its history, representing an increase from the N639.7 billion collected in November 2023.

“This remarkable feat highlights the dedication of our officers and the collaborative efforts with stakeholders. It reaffirms our commitment to maximizing revenue collection for national growth”.

“This facility, though newly renovated, is still a work in progress. By working together, we can sustain the high standards we have set for ourselves and ensure that Tin Can Island Port remains a symbol of excellence in customs administration,” Nnadi said.

The event was attended by customs officials, including Area Controller of Apapa Command, Babatunde Olomu, industry stakeholders including Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) represented by its National Vice President, Prince Segun Oduntan and representatives from partner organizations, all celebrating the transformation and renewed focus on service delivery at Tin Can Island Port.