One of the highlights of the 145th/146th Council meeting of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), which took place at its headquarters in Brussels Belgium from June 26 -28 was the election of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as chairperson.
As the highest decision-making body of global customs service, the WCO Council serves as an avenue to discuss issues, such as enforcement collaboration, international standards, trade facilitation, border security, capacity building, e-commerce, data strategy and Green Customs.
This year’s meeting is remarkable to Nigeria and Nigerians as Adeniyi takes the shine as the first Nigerian to hold this office since the establishment of WCO on Jan 26, 1953. He succeeds Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. He assumed office on July 1 and will spearhead the organisation’s affairs for one year.
The chairperson of WCO is responsible for providing strategic leadership to the Organisation’s policy commission and steering the global customs agenda by facilitating high-level discussions on trade facilitation, revenue optimisation, and security, among others.
Furthermore, the chairperson is expected to bring together the views of the 186 Members of the WCO to guide the work of the global Customs community. This responsibility has been entrusted to Adeniyi.
There is no contesting the fact that Adeniyi’s appointment will boost the image of the Nigerian Customs Service and Nigeria’s international reputation in this regard.
The election of Adeniyi by the WCO is seen by stakeholders as a validation of his choice as the 2024 LEADERSHIP Public Service Person of the Year. The newspaper spotted him and conferred the award on him for his transformative leadership of NCS, which has ushered in a new era of transparency, operational efficiency, and improved revenue generation that has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s economic stability.
Adeniyi’s career in the NCS, including serving as a pioneer national public relations officer and being the first occupant of that office to head the NCS, is marked by exemplary records.
On assumption of office as the Comptroller General of NCS, Adeniyi set in motion a process to tackle perceived systemic inefficiencies, entrenched corruption, outdated operational practices, and other deeply rooted challenges that have impeded the NCS’s operations .
Less than one year after assuming office, he restructured the agency and demonstrated the potential for reform within Nigeria’s public sector.
One thing that defines Adeniyi’s leadership of the NCS is his commitment to simplifying customs operations and enhancing trade facilitation. Among his pivotal reforms was dissolving the excessive enforcement layers that had previously hampered efficient trade flows.
His policies have changed the dynamics of the agency resulting in revenue collection surge that has consistently surpassed budgetary targets, modernised operations and digitalised processes for effectiveness, all of which have bolstered the NCS’s enforcement capabilities, making the Service a formidable force against smuggling and illicit trade.
It is pertinent to stress that Adeniyi is assuming the position with a wealth of experience, having served as the WCO vice chairperson for West and Central Africa. It is worth mentioning that Adeniyi is assuming WCO leadership at a time of severe global trade disruption, which requires adroit leadership to address issues such as supply chain transparency, illicit trade, and customs cooperation in conflict zones.
He assumes at a critical time in history and will be expected to drive the WCO in ways that effectively address critical challenges like the complexity of international trade, the need to balance trade facilitation with security concerns, and the harmonisation of customs procedures across different jurisdictions. These are the challenges Adeniyi must confront. And with his track record, we are optimistic that he will overcome them.
In our opinion, Adeniyi’s election is an honour for the NCS and Nigerians. It reflects the NCS’s collective progress and the current leadership’s transformative agenda. What benefits there are for Nigeria will depend on a number of factors prominent of which is the setting up of trade policies within Africa, where all eyes are on especially the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and at the global level.
More than anything else, Adeniyi’s election as the WCO chair underscores Nigerian technocrats’ competence and demonstrates a growing recognition of Nigeria’s strategic importance in global trade and customs administration. It also emphasises the increasing competence of Nigerian technocrats.
However, the new WCO chair must know he will not be judged merely by whatever feats he achieves in the NCS. The new position presents a new challenge and an overarching need for him to justify the confidence reposed in him. He has an opportunity to guide WCO to greater heights. Doing this will entail surpassing what has been achieved under his leadership of the NCS. As it is often said, to whom much is given, much is expected.
To this end, we expect Adeniyi to uphold the WCO’s core values and promote innovation, equity, and deeper collaboration among member states in response to the complex realities of global trade. He must strive to make accountability, reforms, and optimum performance his guiding principles.His legacy is expected to include an efficient Customs service built on hard work and integrity.
