By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has urged the Senate to provide sustained legislative backing for the Service’s modernisation drive.
He said strong legislative support is critical to protecting reforms from resistance and ensuring they outlive any administration.
Adeniyi spoke on Wednesday at the opening of a two-day retreat for the Senate Committee on Customs in Abuja.
The retreat is themed “Legislative Oversight in the Context of Nigeria Customs Service Modernisation and Reforms.”
He said Customs reforms often face opposition from those who benefit from manual processes and discretionary decision-making.
While acknowledging the support of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance, Adeniyi said lasting protection for the reforms must come from the legislature.
“The protection that endures beyond any single administration is legislative protection,” he said.
The Customs boss urged lawmakers to judge the Service by results rather than routine activities.
He said oversight should focus on cargo release time, trade facilitation, system efficiency and other measurable outcomes.
“Hold us to outcomes rather than to activity,” he said.
Adeniyi also called on the Senate to review Nigeria’s exemption regime.
He said lawmakers should determine whether import waivers and concessions still serve the policy objectives for which they were introduced.
The Comptroller-General also warned against interference in the Service’s automated risk management system.
He said allowing influence to override technology-driven decisions would weaken the credibility of Customs reforms.
“A risk engine that can be overridden by influence is not a risk engine,” he said.
Adeniyi further urged the Senate Committee to maintain regular engagement with Customs beyond budget presentations and oversight hearings.
According to him, regular interaction will give lawmakers a deeper understanding of the Service’s operations and reform progress.
He reaffirmed Customs’ commitment to building a transparent, technology-driven institution that operates on rules rather than personal discretion.
Adeniyi acknowledged that implementation challenges remain at some ports but said the Service remains firmly committed to completing its modernisation programme.
