The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has urged the Senate to review and update Nigeria’s trade and customs laws to reflect rapidly evolving global practices and provide a stronger legal foundation for the Service’s ongoing modernisation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the call on Tuesday, 5 August 2026, at a capacity-building retreat organised for the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs.
Adeniyi said the changing nature of international trade had made it necessary to periodically review the legal framework governing customs administration, noting that some existing provisions had become difficult to apply or had been overtaken by developments in the global trading environment.
He said the NCS was seeking substantial amendments to ensure that the relevant legislation remained responsive to emerging trade policies and supported the Service’s digital transformation agenda.
“While some provisions had worked as intended, others had proved difficult to apply or had been overtaken by the rapidly changing trade environment. We are requesting considerable amendments to ensure the Act remains relevant to fast-moving trade policies and supports the Service’s modernisation agenda,” Adeniyi stated.
The Customs boss explained that the retreat was organised to deepen the Senate committee’s understanding of contemporary customs operations and enable lawmakers to provide more effective oversight of the Service’s reform initiatives.
He further stressed that legislative backing was critical to ensuring that the reforms remained sustainable beyond individual administrations.
Adeniyi noted that the NCS had continued to receive strong support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the NCS Board under the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.
Highlighting the scope of the ongoing transformation, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, Tijani Abbey, outlined several initiatives being implemented by the Service.
They include the indigenous B’Odogwu Trade Management System, intelligence-driven post-clearance audits, the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, coordinated border management and end-to-end digital process integration.
Abbey said the reforms were designed to improve revenue generation, facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen national security through more efficient customs operations.
Responding, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, Senator Isah Jibrin, commended the NCS for surpassing its revenue targets despite operational challenges.
Jibrin assured the Service of the National Assembly’s readiness to provide the necessary legislative backing to sustain its modernisation efforts.
He urged the Customs Service to identify areas requiring legislative intervention and assured that the committee would support measures aimed at improving its operational and revenue performance.
“What you need to do is to identify your challenges, try to address them as much as possible, so as to have a much more robust, inclusive, and beyond-budget performance. Where you require legislative backing, please do not hesitate to call on us,” Jibrin said.
The Senate committee chairman also congratulated Adeniyi on his re-election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation Council, describing the achievement as a reflection of Nigeria’s growing influence in global trade and customs administration.
