Customs CG Receives LEADERSHIP Award For Operational Efficiency

Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service Adewale Adeniyi starred (again) yesterday, this time at the 17th edition of the LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards in Abuja, where he was presented with the prestigious award as the ‘Public Service Person of the Year 2024’ in recognition of his outstanding performance as Customs CG.

LEADERSHIP Group, which organised the award, said the CGC became the preferred candidate for the position after a rigorous selection process selected him as the best among 10 outstanding government functionaries at the federal level.

“For his transformative leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ushering in a new era of transparency, operational efficiency, and improved revenue generation that has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s economic stability, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi is Public Service Person of the Year 2024,” the media organisation announced yesterday at the award ceremony, which people from various segments of society attended.

Flanked by his wife, Kikelomo Adeniyi, and a host of senior NCS officers, he expressed gladness over the award. He promised to do even more to facilitate trade, generate revenue, and prevent the influx of contraband.

While receiving the Public Service Person of the Year 2024 award, CGC Adeniyi expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, dedicating it to the hardworking men and women of the Nigeria Customs Service. He emphasised that honour motivates the service to sustain the momentum of reform and innovation.

“This award is not just about me; it reflects the collective commitment to transparency, efficiency, and national development,” he said. Adeniyi reaffirmed his dedication to driving modernisation, enhancing trade facilitation, and boosting revenue, pledging to continue leading with integrity, accountability, and a deep sense of patriotic duty.

Adeniyi emphasised the vital role of border management in national security, describing borders as more than just geographical boundaries.

He said borders are critical gateways determining a nation’s capacity to protect its citizens, safeguard its economy, and foster security.

He was recognised alongside Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; state governors, including those of Akwa-Ibom, Umo Eno; Jigawa, Umar Namadi; Bauchi’s Bala Mohamed and Kano State’s Abba Yusuf, senators and other private sector players.

This is not the first time Adeniyi has been recognised for his innovative leadership locally and internationally since taking office as Customs CG in 2023. Adeniyi has brought global attention to NCS’s transformative role in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders.

Speaking at the 18th Africa Security Watch Conference in Doha, Qatar, the CCG shared a comprehensive account of the Service’s achievements in balancing security enforcement with trade facilitation.