By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise has commended the far-reaching reforms being implemented by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, describing the transformation as evidence that government resources are being judiciously utilised to reposition the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for greater efficiency.
The commendation came on Thursday, August 6, 2026, during a two-day retreat between the NCS and the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, held to strengthen legislative oversight and review the Nigeria Customs Service Act.
As part of the retreat, members of the committee toured the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja, where they were briefed on the Service’s ongoing modernisation programmes, technology-driven operations and institutional reforms.
Speaking after the tour, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Senator Isah Jibrin, said the visit provided lawmakers with an opportunity to witness first-hand the transformation taking place within the Customs Service.
Jibrin said the reforms, particularly the deployment of technology, modern infrastructure and operational innovations, were repositioning the NCS for improved efficiency and better service delivery.
“We have heard about these reforms from afar, but today we have seen them ourselves.
The transformation taking place in the NCS is remarkable, particularly in the deployment of technology, modern infrastructure and operational innovations that are repositioning the Service for greater efficiency,” he said.
The senator said the retreat had also given lawmakers a clearer understanding of how funds appropriated to the Service were being utilised.
According to him, when the NCS approaches the National Assembly for approval of capital expenditure, lawmakers can now better appreciate the impact of such investments.
He said the reforms witnessed during the tour demonstrated that public funds were being invested responsibly to strengthen Customs operations, facilitate trade and enhance national revenue generation.
Speaking on the reforms, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, attributed the progress recorded by the Service to the deliberate deployment of technology across virtually all aspects of Customs administration.
Adeniyi explained that the NCS began its digital transformation with personnel administration, postings, staff-related matters and pensions before extending technology-driven solutions to its core operational responsibilities.
“Technology helps us to work faster and more efficiently. We started by deploying digital solutions into personnel administration, postings, staff matters and pensions before extending them to our core operational responsibilities, and we will continue until virtually every aspect of Customs operations is technology-driven,” he said.
The Customs boss disclosed that the Service had also deployed advanced technological tools to strengthen its enforcement operations, including virtual shooting simulators, geospatial intelligence and digital surveillance.
He said geospatial intelligence was being used to map patrol routes and strategically position checkpoints across the country, while modern training facilities, including a virtual shooting range, were being deployed to improve the operational capabilities of officers.
“We are deploying geospatial intelligence to map our patrol routes and position our checkpoints more efficiently across the country. Combined with modern training facilities such as our virtual shooting range, these innovations will significantly strengthen our enforcement capabilities,” Adeniyi said.
The Comptroller-General further stated that several of the Service’s modernisation initiatives were backed by provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act.
He listed the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling, Time Release Study, scanner deployment and other technology-driven reforms as initiatives designed to modernise Customs operations, facilitate legitimate trade and support the Federal Government’s reform agenda.
“The law requires us to modernise our operations. Initiatives such as the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling, Time Release Study, scanner deployment and other technology-driven reforms are all backed by the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act,” Adeniyi said.
He assured that the NCS would continue to deepen the deployment of technology across its operations in line with its statutory mandate and the Federal Government’s broader reform programme.
