The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi has charged senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS to confront internal weaknesses undermining the Service’s operational efficiency.
He delivered the message on Thursday while declaring open the 2025 Comptroller-General of Customs’ Conference in Abuja.
The conference, held at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel on 20 November, was convened to review the Service’s recent performance and develop strategies to enhance productivity.
This year’s theme; “Building Future Partnerships: Lessons from the Customs-PACT Conference,” centred on translating the success of a major international engagement into long-term institutional reforms.
Adeniyi reminded participants that just a day earlier, the NCS had concluded the groundbreaking Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade, C-PACT Summit, which brought together customs heads, private-sector leaders, and regional partners from across the continent.
While applauding the achievement, he warned that external successes would be unsustainable without strengthening the organisation from within.
“You can’t sustain external credibility without internal integrity. Turn the mirror inward and force honest discussions about what is working, what is failing, and what must change,” he told the gathering.
The CGC highlighted the rigorous coordination that powered the C-PACT Summit, noting that the Service held weekly planning meetings for 16 consecutive weeks, aligning messages with AfCFTA, resolving conflicts quickly, and ensuring a united front because, as he put it, “failure was not an option with the world watching.”
He urged senior officers to institutionalise those principles, discipline, unified communication, and coordinated execution, so they become part of the NCS’ operating culture rather than short-term measures triggered by major events.
The two-day conference, he added, will feature panel sessions, thought-provoking presentations, and open-floor conversations “where ideas matter more than rank,” as the Service seeks bold solutions to strengthen its internal systems and future partnerships.