Nigeria Customs Service reforms and recognition

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has received international recognition for its communication and reform efforts. Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi was presented with a Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece. The award acknowledges the agency’s commitment to transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and modernization reforms intended to improve trade facilitation and competitiveness within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Alongside this international recognition, the NCS has undergone internal leadership changes. Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni has been appointed as the 30th Acting Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, succeeding the retired Comptroller Gambo Aliyu. Afeni has pledged to focus on intelligence-led enforcement and the prevention of revenue leakages.

In response to recent developments, Adeniyi has expressed intentions to further integrate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, into the agency’s public communication and engagement strategies.