The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has presented its impact-driven reform communication strategy at the 17th Session of the Capacity Building Committee of the World Customs Organization (WCO), held at the organisation’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, from February 25 to 27, 2026.
Speaking during the session, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, delivered a presentation titled “Communicating the Results of Capacity-Building Initiatives More Effectively: Nigeria Customs Service Experience and Lessons Learned.”
Addressing delegates from WCO member administrations, Maiwada explained that the NCS, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has shifted from routine activity-based reporting to evidence-driven storytelling designed to clearly demonstrate reform outcomes and measurable institutional impact.
He noted that the Service’s reform communication framework is anchored on three core pillars: institutional capacity building, human resource development, and stakeholder capacity engagement, ensuring reforms are both effectively implemented and widely understood by stakeholders.
Using the Time Release Study (TRS) as a case study, Maiwada highlighted how the Service adopted transparent data presentation tools, including infographics, to show that a significant portion of cargo clearance delays resulted from systemic idle time rather than inspection procedures.
According to him, the approach helped move discussions away from defensive explanations toward performance benchmarking, thereby strengthening shared accountability across the trade ecosystem.
On the Advance Ruling programme, Maiwada disclosed that the Service issued 83 Advance Rulings in 2025, while registered user accounts rose from 60 in December 2024 to 173 by December 2025 representing a 188.3 per cent increase in stakeholder participation. He added that the initiative contributed 2.9 per cent of total customs revenue from goods valued at ₦240.89 billion within the same period, underscoring the importance of structured communication in promoting predictability and voluntary compliance.
Highlighting progress under the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, he revealed that about 120 companies have received full AEO certification, while 3,270 officers were trained nationwide as AEO Champions to sustain implementation and deepen engagement with stakeholders.
Maiwada also cited the deployment of the indigenous Unified Customs Management System, known as B’Odogwu, as a major milestone in the Service’s digital transformation, supported by sustained sensitisation and user engagement initiatives.
He further referenced the Customs Integrity Perception Survey as a data-driven mechanism for strengthening accountability and public trust, noting that integrity management within the Service is now measurable and continuously assessed.
The Customs spokesperson encouraged WCO member administrations to integrate communication units at the design stage of reform initiatives, humanise institutional processes, sustain stakeholder engagement beyond single events, and deepen peer learning among customs administrations globally.
At the close of the session, Nigeria nominated Li Yan of China Customs for the position of Chairman of the 18th Session of the WCO Capacity Building Committee. The nomination received unanimous support from delegates. Li Yan, who has served as China’s Customs Attaché to Brussels since 2020, was commended for fostering collaboration and innovation through multilateral and bilateral engagements within the WCO framework.
