President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on his unanimous election as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council.
Adeniyi’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, as he becomes the first Nigerian to head the 73-year-old organisation, which comprises 186 member countries.
The President believes that the hoisting of the Nigerian flag at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, a first since the organisation’s founding in 1952, demonstrates Adeniyi’s dynamic leadership.
Under Adeniyi’s guidance, the NCS has achieved remarkable success, including increased revenue collections, improved stakeholder relations, modernised operations, and digitalised processes.
President Tinubu praised Adeniyi for bringing pride and validation to Nigeria and the country’s economic reforms. He urged the new WCO Chairperson to live up to the expectations of the WCO Council and surpass them.
The President also thanked the WCO Secretary-General and leaders for electing Adeniyi unanimously and assured them of his government’s support for Adeniyi’s leadership.
As Chairperson of the WCO Council, Adeniyi will provide strategic leadership, steer the global customs agenda, and facilitate high-level discussions on critical issues such as trade facilitation, revenue optimisation, security, cross-border cooperation, and digital transformation.
He takes over from Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service, and will officially begin guiding the global institution on July 1, 2025.
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