Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has reaffirmed its determination to strengthen intelligence-led border management, modern enforcement operations, and regional intelligence cooperation as part of its broader strategy to secure Nigeria’s borders and enhance trade facilitation.
This was the key highlight at the five-day National Training Seminar on Intelligence and the Instruments and Tools of the World Customs Organisation, WCO, in Abuja.
Delivering the closing remarks on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Strategic Research and Policy, Dera Nnadi, described the seminar as “a significant milestone in the Service’s ongoing modernisation drive.”
“We did not gather here merely to attend a seminar, but to reaffirm our collective resolve to build a smart, responsive, and intelligence-driven Nigeria Customs Service, one that leads with knowledge, acts with integrity, and serves with distinction,” Nnadi said.
The Customs chief noted that the seminar deepened participants’ understanding of the WCO’s intelligence frameworks, including the Customs Enforcement Network, CEN, and the SAFE Framework of Standards, which he said were essential to addressing Nigeria’s evolving border management challenges.
“These are not just technical resources but strategic assets that empower us to anticipate risks, disrupt illicit networks, and facilitate legitimate trade with precision and integrity,” he explained. “The knowledge gained must translate into practical strategies that strengthen risk analysis, improve profiling techniques, and promote data-driven enforcement.”
Nnadi commended the Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, for what he described as “visionary leadership and strategic reforms that continue to position Nigeria as a driving force in global customs administration.”
He also appreciated the support of the Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices, RILO, for West and Central Africa, as well as the local and international facilitators whose expertise contributed to the training’s success.
“As we conclude, let us carry forward the spirit of professionalism, vigilance, and service. Let us continue to build a Customs Service that is proactive, intelligence-led, and globally competitive,” he urged participants.
In his remarks, Mr. Amadou Sissé, Head of RILO West Africa, lauded the Nigeria Customs Service for its consistent cooperation with the WCO and regional intelligence networks, noting that Nigeria remains a model for other administrations in the subregion.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, for his steadfast commitment to regional intelligence collaboration and capacity development,” Sissé said. “The Nigeria Customs Service continues to set a remarkable example for other administrations in West and Central Africa.”
He further commended the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by participants, saying it reflected “a deep sense of purpose and discipline that aligns with global customs standards.”
At the close of the event, participants received certificates of participation and pledged to apply the knowledge gained to improve risk management, intelligence coordination, and enforcement efficiency across all Commands of the Service.
The seminar ended with a renewed commitment to inter-agency cooperation and intelligence-led enforcement, underscoring NCS’s resolve to modernise its operations in line with international best practices and Nigeria’s economic security priorities.
