Abuja: The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) says Adewale Adeniyi’s appointment as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) will boost the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) global collaboration. The organisation said that as Comptroller-General (C-G) of the NCS, Adeniyi’s position at the WCO would further enhance the service’s operations.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Muda Yusuf, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPPE, expressed this view in an interview, highlighting Adeniyi’s election as chairperson of the WCO Council on June 28 during the concluding session of the 145th/146th WCO Council meeting held at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The WCO Council is the highest decision-making body in global customs administration.
Adeniyi is expected to provide strategic leadership to the WCO Policy Commission and steer the global customs agenda by facilitating high-level discussions on trade facilitation, revenue optimisation, security, cross-border cooperation, and digital transformation. He is the first Nigerian to occupy this position since the organisation’s establishment, which Yusuf described as a boost to Nigeria’s international reputation and the image of the NCS.
Yusuf stated that Adeniyi’s appointment would strengthen the capacity of the NCS to deepen customs collaboration within the sub-region, across the continent, and globally. Such synergy is critical to achieving the economic and trade integration objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He noted that customs services across countries would play a strategic role in advancing AfCFTA’s goals, which could boost intra-regional trade.
The CPPE CEO also indicated that the WCO chairperson’s office presents opportunities for collaboration in tackling illicit trade, arms smuggling, and broader security challenges. Adeniyi is expected to contribute significantly to the WCO’s ongoing modernisation efforts, as NCS has already recorded progress in that area.
In Nigeria, the NCS has made significant strides in leveraging technology for its operations, including the Customs Modernisation Project and the Single Window platform, which integrate technology. Yusuf emphasized that this model should be replicated across the continent and beyond, noting that while advanced economies are already maximising technology, many developing countries in Africa still have a long way to go.
According to Yusuf, there should be a peer review mechanism for customs agencies in Africa. Sharing experiences through such collaboration would be instrumental in driving the region’s trade and economic integration agenda within the AfCFTA framework. He congratulated the new C-G on his appointment and expressed confidence that he would bring his experience in the NCS to bear at the global level, highlighting that the C-G possesses the intellectual depth to serve diligently.
