By Nkechi Eze
In a strategic move to strengthen institutional integrity and align with international best practices, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deepened its engagement with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme. The development follows a high-level meeting held on 23 March 2026 at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, during a working visit by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, who also serves as Chairperson of the WCO Council.
According to Deputy Comptroller of Customs and NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, the engagement provided an avenue for the WCO A-CIP Team to brief the Comptroller-General on the progress of ongoing collaborations. Discussions focused on integrity capacity-building initiatives, the formulation of integrity-focused standard operating procedures, and the planned 2026 integrity risk assessment exercise. Strategic priorities for Phase II of the Programme (2026–2030) were also highlighted, emphasizing the embedding of integrity safeguards within automated customs systems, trade facilitation frameworks, and revenue administration processes.
The WCO team commended NCS for its active participation in the WCO integrity survey and for approving the public release of the survey outcomes, a demonstration of the Service’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The survey results reflect the impact of ongoing reforms within the Service, including enhanced valuation review mechanisms, strengthened post-clearance audit processes, and the implementation of the Voluntary Disclosure Framework under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
In his remarks, Comptroller-General Adeniyi expressed gratitude to the A-CIP Team for the quality and relevance of their engagement, reaffirming the Service’s resolve to sustain and deepen the partnership. Both parties agreed that institutional integrity remains a critical pillar for building public trust and enhancing the credibility of customs administrations, especially in an increasingly complex global trade environment.
Forward-looking actions were outlined to consolidate progress under the A-CIP Programme. These include the publication of the WCO integrity survey results to enhance transparency, the establishment and training of a dedicated Implementation Working Group, and the systematic integration of survey recommendations into NCS operational and business processes.
In a complementary development, Comptroller-General Adeniyi also held a strategic meeting with WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders and relevant secretariat staff to exchange updates on the work of the Policy Commission and Council, further reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to global customs integrity and best practices.
