July 1, 2025, went down in history as a day yet another Nigerian super achiever, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (MFR), the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, CG of NCS, was handed the mantle to lead a major global platform for trade administration and control, the World Customs Organisation, WCO.

Adewale’s well-deserved appointment, coupled with a Nigerian amazon, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director- General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, showcases the rising eminence of Nigeria and Africa in world trade. It is all kudos to their respective track records of competence, character and innovative performance which reverberate far beyond our borders. Adewale, a former Public Relations Chief of the NCS, was awarded the National Honour of Member of the Federal Republic, MFR, by former President Muhammadu Buhari over acts of outstanding personal integrity in October 2022. It was not surprising that the following year, the new regime of President Bola Tinubu, picked him to lead the Customs at a time of dire economic strains.

Within the space of two years, Adeniyi has proved to be one of Nigeria’s hottest choices to lead a crucial revenue agency such as the Nigeria Customs. Before his arrival, the NCS used to be at the bottom of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, rankings for Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. Within his first year, he took the Customs from 33rd to the joint first position with four other MDAs with a remarkable 81.5 per cent out of 36 institutions. Adewale pinned the series of internal and external reforms to upscale Customs operations on his Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation, CCI, agenda. He focused on the capacity upgrade of staff with a strong emphasis on digitalisation of operations. A new atmosphere of merit-based rewards greatly recharged the Service and positioned it in alignment with the best practices of the WCO, the universal body.

The Customs CG is a great believer in building synergies. He has fostered inter-agency cooperation with the law enforcement and regulatory agencies and forged an effective bond with the Benin Republic Customs to boost legitimate trade. Adewale’s resuscitation of the Customs Conference has also greatly promoted a better understanding of the Customs Act and other regulations among industry stakeholders. A major result of Adewale’s strategies is the dramatic rise in our non-oil revenue. In 2023, the Customs realised N4.49trn revenue, up from its N2.25trn achievement in 2022. In 2024, its revenue haul skyrocketed to N6.1trn, and the Service is on course to surpass its N6.584trn target for 2025.

As the World’s Customs leader, we expect Adewale to bring his elevated position to positively impact trade and customs operations in Africa, particularly the African Continental Trade Agreement, AfCTA, and our West African subregion. The Customs must work harder on upskilling the technical flair of its operations to minimise demurrage and port congestion. Congratulations, CGC Bashir Adewale, for making Nigeria proud.