The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has urged the National Assembly to amend key provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act to align the country’s trade laws with evolving global customs practices and support the Service’s ongoing modernisation agenda.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the appeal during a capacity-building retreat organised for the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs on August 5, 2026.
Adeniyi said the retreat was designed to deepen lawmakers’ understanding of the Service’s digital transformation and operational reforms, stressing that effective legislative oversight requires a comprehensive understanding of modern customs administration.
He explained that the engagement was intended to bridge information gaps and enable the Senate committee to evaluate the Service’s transformation from an informed perspective while providing the statutory support needed to sustain its reform programme.
According to him, some provisions of the Customs Act have become difficult to implement or have been overtaken by the rapidly changing global trade environment.
“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 said.
The Customs boss noted that although the Service currently enjoys strong support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NCS Board chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, long-term institutional stability requires legislative protection that transcends any single administration.
Speaking on the reform programme, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, Tijani Abbey, highlighted several initiatives being implemented by the Service.
He listed the deployment of the indigenous B’Odogwu Trade Management System, intelligence-driven post-clearance audits, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, coordinated border management, and end-to-end digital integration of customs processes as major pillars of the modernisation effort.
Abbey said the initiatives are aimed at improving revenue generation, facilitating trade, and strengthening national security.
In his response, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, Senator Isah Jibrin, commended the NCS for exceeding its revenue targets despite operational challenges.
He assured the Service of the National Assembly’s readiness to provide the legislative support required to sustain its reform momentum.
“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 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.
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