– Pledges to boost aviation growth
Esther Oritse
Lagos — Nigeria Customs Service Technical and Hangar Services Limited (NCT&HSL) held its inaugural Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 18 February 2025, in Abuja where key players from the aviation, customs, and public sector logistics industries were gathered to discuss the company’s future direction.
Senior officers and management from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), who attended the meeting, had Key discussions that was centered on operational enhancements and expanding NCS’s aviation services—particularly by bolstering air surveillance capabilities.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi commended the company’s progress since its board was inaugurated last year. He noted, “It is evident that the company has made significant strides in this short period, surpassing its achievements in the preceding year. The company’s future prospects are even more important to us.” Adeniyi said
Reflecting on his recent visit to the company’s hangar, Adeniyi expressed strong confidence in the investments made.
He remarked “On my way back from Ilorin yesterday, I made a quick visit to the hangar and saw how busy it was. This underscored that we are investing in the right direction.”
The Customs boss also revealed that the Ministry of Finance had shown interest in further investment in NCT&HSL. He explained that additional capital, along with new expertise and networks, could drive even greater growth. “As the majority shareholder, our expectation is that the company will continue to grow as a profit-yielding entity, providing value to our stakeholders and shareholders,” he added. He also mentioned a recent roundtable discussion held to gather best practices from other government agencies managing similar operations.
Reassuring the board and management, Adeniyi affirmed that the NCS would respect the company’s autonomy while insisting on transparency and accountability.
According to Adeniyi, “I assure the board and management that the Nigeria Customs Service will treat the company as an independent entity with its own autonomy. However, I must emphasise that transparency and accountability are essential,”
NCT&HSL’s Managing Director, Capt. Kuhi Mbaya, highlighted the firm’s key role in modernising customs operations, aligning with the Comptroller-General’s broader initiative to create specialised subsidiaries for improved efficiency and revenue generation. Mbaya stressed that the company was committed to hiring highly qualified staff while carefully managing salary expenses to avoid financial strain. He also noted that significant progress had been made in meeting legal compliance standards.
Addressing cost efficiency, Mbaya explained that the company was exploring alternative financial strategies for expensive maintenance equipment, which is often underutilized.
“Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on seldom-used equipment, we are considering cost-effective options like leasing or partnering with other organisations to share resources,” he explained. He assured stakeholders that these measures would help maintain high safety and compliance standards while optimising expenditure.
In the meeting’s closing session, new auditors were appointed, and directors were reappointed after thorough review. The AGM set the groundwork for long-term strategic planning, including upgrading aircraft maintenance facilities, enhancing ground handling services, and expanding the NCS fleet to support robust customs enforcement operations.
