By Elizabeth Godwin
President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Initially set to conclude his tenure on August 31, 2025, Mr. Adeniyi will now remain in office until August 2026.
The announcement was made in a statement released on Thursday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. The presidency explained that the extension is aimed at allowing Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and deliver on critical initiatives introduced under his leadership.
Mr. Adeniyi, who officially took over the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service in June 2023 following the departure of his predecessor, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), was confirmed as substantive Comptroller-General in October 2023 by President Tinubu. Since then, he has spearheaded several modernisation efforts aimed at improving efficiency, revenue generation, and operational transparency within the Service.
According to the statement, the extended tenure will enable Mr. Adeniyi to further advance the modernisation of the Customs Service, particularly through the implementation of the National Single Window Project. This initiative seeks to streamline trade processes by integrating all border agencies into a unified digital platform, thereby enhancing trade facilitation and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The extension will also support Nigeria’s efforts to meet its obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which aims to promote intra-African trade by removing trade barriers and improving cross-border cooperation.
President Tinubu commended Mr. Adeniyi for his dedication, reform-minded leadership, and unwavering commitment to service. He expressed confidence that with additional time in office, the Customs chief would continue to strengthen the agency’s role in securing Nigeria’s borders, facilitating legitimate trade, and boosting government revenue.
The extension is widely seen as a vote of confidence in Mr. Adeniyi’s leadership and a strategic move to ensure continuity in the Customs Service’s reform agenda.
Mr. Adeniyi’s stewardship continues at a time when Nigeria is seeking to improve non-oil revenue and promote trade as part of broader economic reforms.
