The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its collaboration with the World Customs Organization under its Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme, earning commendation for its commitment to transparency and institutional reforms.
This followed a high-level engagement at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels on March 23, 2026, during an official visit by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who also chairs the WCO Council.
At the meeting, the A-CIP team briefed the Customs boss on the progress of its collaboration with Nigeria, highlighting key initiatives such as integrity capacity-building programmes, development of standard operating procedures, and plans to conduct a comprehensive integrity risk assessment in 2026. The team also unveiled its Phase II strategy (2026–2030), which prioritises embedding integrity safeguards into automated customs systems, trade facilitation frameworks, and revenue processes.
The WCO team commended the NCS for its active participation in its integrity survey and for approving the publication of its outcomes a move described as a strong demonstration of transparency and accountability. According to the organisation, the positive survey results reflect the impact of ongoing reforms within the Service, including improved valuation review systems, enhanced post-clearance audits, and the introduction of a Voluntary Disclosure Framework under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
In his remarks, Adeniyi expressed appreciation for the partnership, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to sustaining integrity-driven reforms. Both parties emphasised that strong institutional integrity is vital for building public trust and enhancing the credibility of customs administrations in an increasingly complex global trade environment.
As part of next steps, both sides agreed to publish the survey results, establish and train a dedicated implementation working group, and integrate the recommendations into NCS operations and business processes.
In a related development, Adeniyi also held a strategic meeting with the WCO Secretary-General, Ian Saunders, where discussions focused on updates from the organisation’s Policy Commission and Council activities.
The engagement underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs governance and its resolve to align with international best practices in trade and revenue administration.
