By Nkechi Eze
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has called for a decisive shift from rhetoric to concrete action in Nigeria’s drive to build a $1 trillion economy, stressing that national aspirations must be backed by effective implementation and measurable results.
Adeniyi made the call on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, while delivering a keynote address at the New Nigeria Festival held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Conference Hall, Abuja.
He said the $1 trillion economic target was achievable if the plans and strategies developed to attain it were properly executed, urging government institutions, businesses and citizens to take ownership of their respective responsibilities.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had moved beyond discussions and ideas by implementing reforms aimed at supporting the country’s economic ambition.
He cited the deployment of B’Odogwu, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and the Advance Ruling mechanism as key initiatives under the Service’s modernisation reforms, designed to facilitate legitimate trade, improve predictability and strengthen revenue generation.
“Execution is nothing if it is not concrete. We have to move from ideas to action and ensure that whatever we plan translates into results. That is how we can begin to see the kind of transformation we are talking about,” Adeniyi said.
The CGC noted that the Customs Service, given its mandate in revenue collection, trade facilitation and border management, had a strategic role to play in advancing Nigeria’s economic transformation.
He, however, stressed that achieving the $1 trillion target could not be the sole responsibility of government agencies, but required coordinated efforts from institutions, the private sector and citizens.
Adeniyi therefore urged stakeholders to focus on translating policies and economic plans into practical outcomes, maintaining that sustained implementation remained critical to turning Nigeria’s economic ambition into reality.
