The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has graduated 100 middle cadre officers from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, in a renewed drive to strengthen leadership capacity, operational efficiency and strategic management across the Service.
The graduation ceremony, held on Friday, 12 December 2025, marked the successful completion of Senior Course 13 and Junior Course 23. It attracted top Customs officials, instructors and invited guests, underscoring the Service’s commitment to continuous professional development and institutional excellence.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Kikelomo Adeola, congratulated the officers and urged them to deploy the knowledge, skills and values acquired during the programme to improve service delivery in their respective Commands and units.
She described capacity building as a key pillar of the NCS modernisation agenda, noting that officers trained at the College are expected to translate their learning into improved operational performance nationwide. DCG Adeola also charged the graduates to uphold professionalism, discipline and integrity, reminding them that they would serve as role models to younger officers and newly recruited personnel.
Earlier, the Commandant of the College, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Dow Gaura, said the successful completion of the courses reflected the discipline, resilience and intellectual rigour demonstrated by the participants throughout a demanding training period designed to prepare them for higher responsibilities.
He explained that the NCCSC played a critical role in professionalising the Customs workforce through a structured curriculum that aligns with international best practices, integrating customs law, leadership development, operations management and strategic studies.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, the Course Senior for Senior Course 13, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Umar Garba, described the programme as transformative, saying it strengthened their leadership skills, deepened their understanding of customs procedures and broadened their perspectives on inter-agency collaboration and national security.
Highlights of the ceremony included a guard of honour for the Special Guest of Honour, presentation of certificates and awards to outstanding officers. The graduation was preceded by a Regimental Dinner Night held on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, in line with Customs tradition to celebrate officers who successfully completed three-month and six-month training programmes for Junior and Senior Courses respectively.
