Nigeria Customs Service institutional reforms

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has focused on institutional reforms involving communication strategies and administrative transitions.

In late July 2026, Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi addressed a public relations conference in Port Harcourt, calling for a shift toward a “proactive, research-driven, intelligence-led approach” to communication. He emphasized the need to use digital media and artificial intelligence to professionally communicate reforms and seizure operations to build public trust.

By late August 2026, the service implemented leadership changes at the Lilypond Export Command, with Deputy Comptroller Olusola O. Salako succeeding the retired Samuel Olusanya Ariyibi as Acting Customs Area Controller. Additionally, the NCS reaffirmed its humanitarian commitments, noting the use of expedited clearance procedures for relief materials and the expansion of corporate social responsibility initiatives to support disaster-affected communities.

In a move to strengthen its anti-corruption framework, the NCS partnered with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and UK International Development in late August 2026. This collaboration included a workshop focused on corruption risk analysis, risk mapping, and the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Comptroller-General Adeniyi stated that the initiative aims to “identify systemic vulnerabilities rather than assign blame.” The assessment targeted areas such as regulatory procedures, clearance processes, enforcement, procurement, and human resource management, with the objective of enhancing transparency and accountability through technology and process simplification.