The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise has commended the reforms being implemented by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, describing them as evidence that government funds allocated to the Service are being used responsibly.
The committee gave the commendation on Thursday, 6 August 2026, during a two-day retreat between the NCS and the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise focused on strengthening legislative oversight and reviewing the Nigeria Customs Service Act.
As part of the retreat, committee members visited the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja, where they were briefed on the Service’s modernisation programme, technology-driven operations and institutional reforms.
Speaking after the tour, the committee’s chairman, Senator Isah Jibrin, said the visit enabled lawmakers to assess the reforms directly rather than relying solely on reports.
“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,” Jibrin said.
He said the visit had also given the committee a better understanding of how funds appropriated to the Customs Service were being utilised.
According to him, the reforms would help lawmakers make more informed decisions when the Service approaches the National Assembly for capital expenditure.
“When the NCS comes before the National Assembly seeking approval for capital expenditure, we now have a clearer understanding of what those resources are being used for,” he said.
“The reforms we have seen today clearly demonstrate that government funds are being invested responsibly to strengthen Customs operations, improve trade facilitation and enhance national revenue.”
Customs expands technology-driven operations
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, attributed the progress recorded by the Service to the deliberate adoption of technology across its administrative and operational activities.
Adeniyi said the digital transformation programme initially focused on areas such as personnel administration, staff postings and pension matters before being extended to core Customs functions.
“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.
He said technology was also being deployed to strengthen enforcement, citing the use of virtual shooting simulators, geospatial intelligence and digital surveillance.
According to Adeniyi, geospatial intelligence was being used to map patrol routes and improve the positioning of checkpoints across the country.
“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,” he said.
The Customs chief said the ongoing reforms were also supported by the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, which provides for the modernisation of the Service’s operations.
He cited initiatives including the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, Advance Ruling, Time Release Study and scanner deployment as examples of reforms being implemented under the law.
“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 added that the Service would continue implementing the reforms as part of efforts to support the Federal Government’s reform agenda.
